Some good could come out of 1996's fire at Borehamwood Royal British Legion club if national bosses heed calls to put emergency contingency plans into place.

This week's independent report into events following the disaster found officials had struggled to cope with the administrative burden of organising a £100,000 rebuild.

And it was pleasing to find the report found Borehamwood officials had committed no impropriety.

All faults, the report found, stemmed from the lack of advice coming from national headquarters in Pall Mall.

In the light of this, club bosses ought to be congratulated for their positive action.

First, in commissioning the report in response to members' concerns.

And second, in making the helpful suggestion to their national leaders.

The club has written to Pall Mall asking it to consider setting up an information database, aimed at helping clubs all over the country cope with any crisis.

Borehamwood legion chiefs are suggesting it be financed by annual subscriptions paid by branches.

This would be offset by reduced insurances premiems at their premises, offered on the basis that emergency plans have been made.

National bosses should seize upon this opportunity so, in the event of a disaster, no other branches have to go throught what the Borehamwood branch has endured.

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