Notts Police demand GP letters

From 13 September, all firearms and shotgun certificate applications must be accompanied by a GP’S letter, say Nottinghamshire Police. Renewals will be affected from 3 December.

The force has responsibility for around 10,000 licences and joins with Lincolnshire, Kent and Merseyside in making this major revision. The change runs counter to Home Office guidance which states that if a police force does not receive a response to their initial request for medical information from an applicant’s GP, they should assume there are no medical issues and grant a licence.

The decision is being challenged by BASC, whose spokesman commented: “We will be asking Nottinghamshire Police why it has not consulted with the 10,000 firearm and shotgun certificate holders who will be impacted by this change in policy. We also want to raise our fears that GPS will not be consistent in the fees they may charge for medical checks.” The first two-mile rifle range available to the public in the UK has been opened at Eskdalemuir, in Dumfries and Galloway.

It is the only privately owned range in the country — others offering equal distances are limited to use by the Ministry of Defence.

The steep-sided valleys and spectacular geographic features of the surrounding area lend themselves well to the discipline. Shooters can stand at the firing point and see targets at every 100 yards to 1,000 yards and every 200 yards to 2,000 yards up to the speck that is the two-mile point (3,500 yards).

The long-range facility has been set up by Gardners Guns in association with Eskdale Experiences.

Shooting times & Country magazine • 9

Letters from your GP are not yet mandatory for firearm applications and renewals, BASC points out

The steep-sidedvalleys lend themselves well tothe new range