( click to enlarge )After impossing a new rule of Airsoft players only being allowed to play if they use full face and ear protection it seems UCZ at Newton Abott have decided to give the finger to the local Airsoft community.

A few weeks ago a notice appeared on their forum stating the requirement for all Airsofters at th eNewton Abbot site to use full head protection as is required for paintball. Obviously there were mixed reactions to the news as it is the first site I am aware of to make such a rule. There were the posts saying it was not needed (not always posted in the best way!), others not wanting the cumbersome headgear but willing to accept the reasons and tow the line and more posts asking reasonable questions such as the use of neoprone face masks being allowed.

All of these were answered in a rather blunt manner, I have always had the feeling from the tone of some replies by the forum mods that they were paintballers and Airsofters were more of an inconvienence. The forum was moderated by the Newton Abbot site so I can only assume that things will continue as normal at the Plymouth and Exeter Bunker sites.

Today (19 March 2009) I see that the forum on the UCZ website is offline with the following message: "Our forums will be back online tomorrow... sorry for any inconvenience. There will no provision for Airsoft discussion here when we are back online."

Considering their forum was used predominently by the Airsoft community (although small we do talk a lot!), I see the only reason for this being that they no-longer intend to support Airsoft activities on their website. This also has knock-on effects for the Bunker and Plymouth Recon who shared the forum and people will have to find a new home to organise theirselves (Airsoft Warriors seems a good place to start :) ).

As to whether they will continue to host Airsoft is yet to be seen...

On a related note: In my opinion for a woodland site you would have to go a long way to beat a new addition to the Airsoft calendar - Skirmish Airsoft at Stoke Woods.