Kolkata clubs on renovation drive

Almost all the venerable social clubs in Kolkata have taken up renovation of their infrastructure even as the city runs short of social facilities and quality accommodation.

Ravi Todi, president of Calcutta Swimming Club (CSC), pointed out that CSC renovated its bar in April this year to a swanky 1,000 sq.ft. disco-pub-bar at a cost of approximately Rs 12 lakh.

"The bar was constructed 12 years ago and hence the need for renovation," said Todi. With a 'submarine feel', the new facility can seat 52 people and host a party for upto 100.

The 119-year-old CSC has 3,000 members, 40 per cent of whom are below 35 hence the need for a more youth-friendly, hip disco-pub-bar, said Todi.

CSC recently renovated eight rooms and another renovation of rooms to 4-star standards was on the cards, but rentals would be kept at 2-star level. Each room would cost Rs 8-10 lakh to do up.

Occupancy, now at 50 per cent, was expected to rise to 75-80 per cent then.

The Calcutta Cricket and Football Club (CCFC) inaugurated its 2,000 sq ft bar and 50-seater dining room in March 2006 at a cost of approximately Rs 30 lakh.

Members now had a proper dining option and would not have to book tables elsewhere for dinner, claimed Utpal Kumar Ganguli, president of the club.

CCFC, set up in 1792 and with 1,350 local and 300 outstation members, would soon be chalking out a basketball and two badminton courts besides renovating the original bar by end-2006, added Ganguli.

The 176-year-old Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) recently upgraded its golf course to contemporary world standards as that was its focus area.

"There was need to upgrade the Greens and Fairways to make the course more challenging, bring it at par with the best and fit for international tournaments. We therefore upgraded the design of the Greens and provision of the Bankers and Tanks on Fairways and along the adjacent areas of the Greens," said Manmohan Singh, CEO of RCGC.

RCGC has 2,740 members and 110 employees.

The 179-acre RCGC golf course, swimming pool, snooker and tennis facilities will soon see new restaurants, entertainment zones for children, and accommodation and banquet facilities over the next two years.

Bengal Club recently refurbished its dining hall to a 3,000 sq.ft. zone for upto 170 diners, said Ram Ray, chairman for communication and public affairs at Bengal Club.

A fitness centre would be opened by August 2006.

Bengal Club recently refurbished its 1500 sq.ft Reynolds Room lounge, gave its Millennium Room a 600 sq ft card and pool zone for upto 24 people, and expanded the library book-count to approximately 20,000 books.

Bengal Club's residential accommodation of 4 deluxe rooms of 600 sq ft each, 10 standard rooms of 550 sq ft each and one suite of 1,300 sq ft and priced between Rs 2,700 to 3,500 per night was at present one of the most popular in the city. It had 1,550 members, of whom 1,150 were residents of Kolkata.

Tollygunge Club, established in 1895 and best-known for its sporting facilities, was in the process of refurbishing its public area called the Shamiana besides topping 1.5km of internal roads with interlocking paving blocks, said Air Commodore K B Menon, chief executive and managing member of the Tollygunge Club.

It also refurbished the ladies changing room while the men's room would be done up by July-end.

Tollygunge Club, with 3,500 members, had 68 residential units graded into standard rooms, grandstand cottages and suites.

Every year, the club renovated 15 units to deliver 5-star quality at lower rates.

Only one club "" the Calcutta Club "" said its heritage was an impediment to infrastructure development.

Founded in 1907 and with approximately 3,500 permanent members, it was aiming for a 'new look' as part of its centenary celebrations, but the heritage building status of the club building led to problems, said D K Bose, president.

Calcutta Club at present offered members a health club, solar-heated swimming pool, four bars, three restaurants, a departmental store, a library with 30,000 books as well as eight residential rooms of 4-star quality priced at a discount.

The spokesperson of Saturday Club was not available for comment.