When Are Other Sites Opening?

[Hells Airsoft]

Hey guys,

I’ve been ringing around other indoor Airsoft sites to see when they are opening... I’ve heard dates from 4th April to 20th May.

Then another site says you will get shut down if you open before 21st June!

I’m here for clarity and see what everyone else thinks, I just wish the government would be abit more straight forward.

 

Cheers guys and girls in advance.

 

Hells Airsoft

[MiK]

Look at the dates, 

March 29th The rule of six outdoors is in effect & outdoor sports can start up

April 12th No real mention of outdoor or indoor activities but it does stress continual wider social distancing 

May 17th Rule of 6 is dropped outside and mass indoor event allowed and a review of social distances 

June 21st Everything is seemingly back to pre-covid days

 

so I would be speculating that indoor will be either 17th May or June 21st, April 12th just doesn’t quite fit the indoor cqb formula

[Tommikka]

6 hours ago, Hells Airsoft said:

Hey guys,

I’ve been ringing around other indoor Airsoft sites to see when they are opening... I’ve heard dates from 4th April to 20th May.

Then another site says you will get shut down if you open before 21st June!

I’m here for clarity and see what everyone else thinks, I just wish the government would be abit more straight forward.

 

Cheers guys and girls in advance.

 

Hells Airsoft

Step 1b is for outdoor sport’s 

(29 March with the first weekend being 3/4 April)

 

Step 3 is for indoor sports venues - see paragraph 120 in the link below

(May 17 with the first weekend being 22/23 May)

 

Step 4 is the removal of restrictions

(21 June with the first weekend being 26/27 June)

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021

 

I would expect that step 3 would apply, but you also need suitable control measures and probably a limit of half standard capacity.

 

 

Check with your local authority and your insurers as the LA will be who you have any problem with and your insurers can confirm their interpretation and whether they would cover you  

(Note that the dates are not absolute. They are the earliest dates and subject to the numbers staying down, the transfer from one step to the next needs to be confirmed by government as time moves along)

 

[Brophy]

West mids airsoft have announced they are opening up (capped player count) on the 29th March their outdoor woodland site. 

 

[Lozart]

Just remember that ALL those dates are targets only. They're not set in stone by any means! If the numbers don't come down in line with the four criteria they've set out then those dates WILL move.

 

Additionally bear in mind that airsoft is not recognised as a sport due to having no governing body so you're better off using "leisure activities" as your guideline. I think West Mids are pushing the envelope a bit by banging out March 29th as a firm date.

[Adolf Hamster]

11 hours ago, Brophy said:

West mids airsoft have announced they are opening up (capped player count) on the 29th March their outdoor woodland site. 

 

is it bad that the first thing i see looking at that picture is "yep, that sums up ghillie suits in airsoft alright"

[Brophy]

4 hours ago, Adolf Hamster said:

 

is it bad that the first thing i see looking at that picture is "yep, that sums up ghillie suits in airsoft alright"

Might be KM looking for his next headshot 🤣

[MiK]

14 minutes ago, Brophy said:

Might be KM looking for his next headshot 🤣

Fixed !!

 

 

[Adolf Hamster]

1 hour ago, MiK said:

Fixed !!

 

surely that's a double kill, bb bounces off the first guy and hits the second.

 

then neither of them call the "hit"

[MiK]

4 minutes ago, Adolf Hamster said:

 

surely that's a double kill, bb bounces off the first guy and hits the second.

 

then neither of them call the "hit"

naaaaaahhhhh, even KM wouldn’t call a “double kill” ...... he wouldn’t would he ??

[Adolf Hamster]

12 minutes ago, MiK said:

naaaaaahhhhh, even KM wouldn’t call a “double kill” ...... he wouldn’t would he ??

 

tbh, i'm surprised he hasn't.

 

they do legitimately happen and lets face it that's some premium opening clickbait right there.

[Oneshotscott]

Imagine if KM's gun double fed and he DESTROYED 4.......

[colinjallen]

On 24/02/2021 at 22:53, Brophy said:

West mids airsoft have announced they are opening up (capped player count) on the 29th March their outdoor woodland site. 

 

The guy on the right is clearly overcompensating for something.

[Jaylordofwaargh]

Red 1 have also come out to say 1st game is 3rd April with another the week after. Looks like pewing is back on the menu. Although it does seem a stretch on the guidance currently posted.

[38super]

Spartan have said beginning of April on their FB page.

[Lozart]

Sounds like a lot of people are playing fast and loose with the guidance.

 

From the official Spring COVID Response document https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021/covid-19-response-spring-2021

 

This is what the rules are currently set to be from around the end of March (all subject to change if the four criteria haven't been met) in regards to outdoor gatherings:

 

Quote

People will be able to meet outside in groups up to a maximum of 6 people (the Rule of 6) or with one other household, though people from different households will still need to socially distance from each other. This will apply in all outdoor settings, including private gardens. Applying either limit provides greater flexibility, recognising the different situations faced by families and individuals; two households will be more helpful for families, while the Rule of 6 is likely to help people in different households to reunite outdoors, including those living alone or in shared accommodation. Those eligible to form a support bubble will still be able to do so, enabling close contact for many of those in most need of support, and will continue to be counted as part of the same household.

Guidance will set out how people can see others safely: the evidence is clear that this is safest to do in the open air, at a safe distance, while minimising the frequency of social gatherings and the numbers present wherever possible. It will remain critical - with most people still unprotected by vaccines - that people continue to follow the guidance, use common sense and socially distance from other households.

The Government will also allow outdoor sports facilities to reopen, broadening the options for outdoor exercise and recreation. These facilities, such as tennis and basketball courts, and swimming pools, can be used by people in line with the wider social contact limits. Formally organised outdoor sports – for adults and under 18s - can also restart and will not be subject to the gatherings limits, but should be compliant with guidance issued by national governing bodies.

 

 

In so much as airsoft isn't a formally organised sport and doesn't have a national governing body the Rule of 6 would still apply. 

[Captain Darling]

I see no issue with keeping players in their bubbles of six, as before.  If the site RAMS passes muster their local EHO will be all to willing to sign off on it and get the wheels of business moving again.

 

I think (hope) we'll also see a substancial reduction in the number of hospital admissions and certainly we should see a massive reduction in Covid deaths as the known high risk of death groups become less vunerable due to vaccination.  My Mrs 76 year old dad had his jab in mid Jan, less than 3 weeks later he got a fever (he is in an old folks home) and after they tested him he was found to be Covid-19 positive.  He had very mild syptoms and was fine a few days later.  I know it's accecdotal, but I suspect Bill Gates microchip is very effective in switching the 5G off.   

[Tommikka]

2 hours ago, Lozart said:

 

In so much as airsoft isn't a formally organised sport and doesn't have a national governing body the Rule of 6 would still apply. 

Spot on.

For paintball we had the UKPSF AGM yesterday.

 

They are recognized by government as a governing body, and also last year achieved clarification for the position on paintball and got it mentioned in government guidance as to where / when sites could open.

 

They have provided Covid risk assessments for member sites and given the details on how sites can open under the current arrangements.

Member sites have the full details.

Under the player part of the AGM they highlighted the go ahead for sites meeting the right criteria to open from 29 March - excluding indoor sites, and they stressed the point regarding the UKPSF as governing body.

UKPSF have managed to get the OK without needing paintball to be a recognized ‘organized sport’, but with a recognizable body.

 

For airsoft the same could apply for sites with the appropriate measures in place and within the limits to open for people to run around shooting each other, but without the umbrella of a governing body.

UKARA are recognizable, but are a retail organization designed around the VCRA

There are others like UKAPU etc, but no single body nor collective of bodies representing different parties

 

 

[38super]

I'd be curious to see what happens with sites that do both paintball and airsoft. In theory approval for one but not the other despite pretty much identical activities in terms of covid management. Could an airsoft site claim it's activity is identical to paintball and use a covid protocol issued by 'a governing body'? 

[Tommikka]

48 minutes ago, 38super said:

I'd be curious to see what happens with sites that do both paintball and airsoft. In theory approval for one but not the other despite pretty much identical activities in terms of covid management. Could an airsoft site claim it's activity is identical to paintball and use a covid protocol issued by 'a governing body'? 

It would be easier for a paintball / airsoft site to use the UKPSF guidance than for an exclusive airsoft site to point towards paintball

 

The activities have an equivalence, but the presence of ‘governing body’ in the new government guidance is a hurdle for air soft.

I’d recommend that airsoft sites square themselves with the local authority - and can flag up about the rest.

 

[AlphaBear]

My local site Finmere,  It’s both a paintball and airsoft site and we get guidance from the UKPSF. We’ve been given the green light for games to resume 10th April. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cannonfodder]

I'm sure I heard Finmere closed years ago,it must be old age getting to me. I visited donkey's years ago and really enjoyed it

 

Back on topic, tech brigade in Hertfordshire should be reopening 18th of April, so long as nothing changes 

[AlphaBear]

Oh God Finmere been around for donkeys and still going strong. 😊

[rj1986]

On 26/02/2021 at 20:45, AlphaBear said:

My local site Finmere,  It’s both a paintball and airsoft site and we get guidance from the UKPSF. We’ve been given the green light for games to resume 10th April. 

 

 

I might join you. Always looking for more sites around bucks.

 

Also, more to the point, apart from the pew's, what are the fundamental differences between airsoft and paintball. It's like sainsbury's compared to tesco to 99% f the general population

 

[Tommikka]

3 hours ago, rj1986 said:

 

 

Also, more to the point, apart from the pew's, what are the fundamental differences between airsoft and paintball. It's like sainsbury's compared to tesco to 99% f the general population

 

That’s something I’ve been wondering about on some recent threads, such as “x paintball site is opening for airsoft, will they know how to run an airsoft game?”

 

The guns are different, but it’s still shooting each other with balls.

BBs don’t leave a splat, but that doesn’t mean a paintballer won’t claim they didn’t notice the hit

Except for competitive tournaments we don’t have a Marshall watching each player for hits

Basic safety is generally the same - protect the eyes, just different goggle/glasses standards.

Chrono needs to be done, different weight BBs should be taken into account, but if a paintball site allows different calibers or shaped projectiles then they need to take into account differences.

Game ‘rules’ use different language, but are similar

BBs don’t have to be stored at an ambient temperature and stock rotated (literally if paintballs are kept for any time)

Many airsofters like dressing up - and so so many paintballers

RIFs exist in paintball as well

Airsofters don’t fancy getting splats on their outfits - but aren’t all afraid of getting muddy.

There are also paintball divas afraid of getting dirty 

 

I’m wondering that the ‘difference’ is the typical player the site is used to.

Not paintballer vs airsofter, but perhaps rental vs regular?

The core business of paintball sites is the one off/occasional rental, with some sites (eg not Delta Force) running a monthly walk-on for the ‘regular’ own gunners.

Airsoft sites that I’ve seen are typically running via regular own gunners, with some rentals ???

 

I see ‘typical’ airsoft as somewhere between walk-on and scenario paintball, and airsoft events like scenario paintball events 

 

Could it be that people are referring to a rental paintall site opening for airsoft and needing to understand the interests of own gunners/regulars compared to one off rentals rather than a paintballer vs an airsofter ?

 

The most popular format and rule set that I’ve produced isn’t popular because of the paintball, I’ve always had numerous requests to run sessions with no guns.  It’s Battle Royale under our Survival

Paintball format, played by both paintballers and airsofters.  The top weapons are the rubber frying pan and the tennis ball gun.