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Farmoor Flyfishing Club could lose the fishing rights at Farmoor 1 reservoir near Oxford after 42 years, writes ANDY WEBBER.

Owners Thames Water have told the club they plan to take over the management of Farmoor 1, and have notified their officers that their current licence, which expires in March 2007, may not be renewed.

Their intention is to develop this water as a big trout fishery, from which they anticipate they will generate more income.

Thames Water already control the fishing rights on the larger, adjacent reservoir - Farmoor II - which can be fished for trout either on a day or season ticket.

Although the club started negotiations to renew their licence in June this year, it was not until a meeting called by Thames Water the day before Farmoor Fly Fishing Club's annual meeting last week, that their full intentions were made clear.

This left the club's officers with no time to notify all of the club's members, many of whom will be reading the news here for the first time.

Thames Water conceded that the timing of this bombshell has left the club with no time to plan or negotiate, and have offered to grant the club a year's grace, at half the rent, in exchange for the fish left in Farmoor 1 at the end of the 2007 season.

As an alternative, the club asked if their members could fish catch and release on Farmoor II, but Thames Water rejected this on the grounds that it causes disease.

At the AGM, members voted to accept Thames Water's offer of an extra year, giving the club's officers time to try to persuade them to reverse their decision.

The club, founded to provide affordable trout fishing, is the oldest
catch-and-release club in the country

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ANGLING: Members quit Farmoor reservoir

Members of Farmoor Fly Fishing Club have voted to quit the Farmoor 1 reservoir, near Oxford, after 42 years of fishing there, writes Andy Webber The move comes after the owners, Thames Water, decided not to renew the club's licence, which expires this March.

At a lively Extraordinary General Meeting, members decided to reject Thames Water's offer of a year's grace and voted to leave immediately, ending more than four decades of fishing Farmoor 1.

Thames Water, who already control the fishing rights on the larger, adjacent reservoir, Farmoor II, want to take over the running of Farmoor 1 and develop it as a big trout water, in a bid to generate more income

Thames Water had offered to give the club a year's grace, at half the rent, in exchange for the fish left in Farmoor 1 at the end of the 2007 season.

But after members rejected it, the company will now pay £5,000 to the club for the fish remaining in the reservoir.

Thames will also offer day tickets at reduced cost to Farmoor Fly Fishing Club members who want to fish Farmoor II.

Despite losing Farmoor 1, the club's officers remain positive about the future.

More money will be spent on their other lake, Darlow Water, at Hardwick, near Stanton Harcourt, with the aim of turning it into one of the best catch-and-release waters in the country.

8:40pm Friday 19th January 2007

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