Starting up Paintball.

Vinnie_LV

I am thinking to create my own paintball club.

First i will be starting up as a private paintball club and after a while might make it available for everyone!

First of all i want to find out what i need to start all this.
I have in mind a location for paintballing site. Main questions are:
1) Do i need a planing permission for setting up a place for paintballing
2) Is there a license required to hold and store paintball markers
3) Is there anything else i need for paintballing club

I would appreciate any type of information that would help me.
Thank you!

ironclaw

Right, hold the horses for a second. Its not something you can just do. Above all else, it requires serious capital investment. Paintball is not cheap to play or run. Are you looking at this as a commercial site or just for friends?

1) Do i need a planing permission for setting up a place for paintballing

Yes, you need to apply to your local authority. This can include enviormental reports and safety audits. Which are expensive.

2) Is there a license required to hold and store paintball markers

Yes, under the firearms act you need one. For storage, you need an off site safe with CCTV and a remote alarm.

3) Is there anything else i need for paintballing club

You need googles for players. A license and importation license for the markers (Paintball guns) You need insurance (Expensive) You'll need specialised equipment for filling the air tanks for the paintball guns (€30,000 ball park depending on size) Couple this with sundry equipment for maintenance and upkeep.

The bottom line is, its very expensive but not impossible to set up a paintball site. You need a good deal of money, especially for advertising, to get off the ground. As a commercial venture, its not a gold mine. The running costs are extremely high. But if it goes well, its a nice extra income. A full time earner? Maybe not.

If you just wanted a venue for a private club, then provided you had the land and the relevant legal clearance, its much easier. However, getting that legal clearance could be a mine field.

If you just want to play with friends, you are just better off going to a real site. If you drop the lads at Dublin AGGression a mail (http://www.facebook.com/aggression) they'll be happy to show you the more professional side of paintball. Once you make the investment in good gear for yourself, there is nearly always a monthly event to go to which won't cost a fortune (Paintballs at €35 ish per 2000)

I recommend checking out www.paintballer.ie, loads of advice on there.

InTheTrees

Interesting information.

We have a beautiful piece of land that would be ideal; about 70 acres (within a 150ac farm) that has woods, lakes, hills, roads etc.

But I had never imagined that planning permission would be required.

I suppose its required for any commercial operation. Do you have to provide parking and toilets etc?

What sort of environmental impact do the paintballs have? Are they biodegradable? I assume so.

Thanks for the info!

ironclaw

But I had never imagined that planning permission would be required.

It depends. Do you want to do this commercially and open to the public? Or strictly for friends and family? Both entirely different routes and both are really frought with insurance nightmares. You'll also have a mountain of red tape for licensing if you want to be "above board"

Do you have to provide parking and toilets etc?

For commercial planning, yes you would have to provide at a minimum toilets and amenities for players.

What sort of environmental impact do the paintballs have? Are they biodegradable? I assume so.

They are biodegradable. Takes about 2 weeks to totally disintegrate.


Unless you have the serious cash to back such an enterprise, in a saturated Irish market, I would just play at your local field. Most fields will happily arrange a regular rate if you want to play regularly.

ditpaintball

This happens all the time. Somebody with a bit of land happens to go paintballing one day and loves it. You see all the money being spend and think feck it, you can do it.

As already stated, you can't just buy some markers and off you go. Have you even done any research to see if you have market for paintball in your area?

your first port of call is to www.paintballer.ie and check out the scene. Paintball is going through a quite patch these days.

juice1304

ironclaw wrote: »

Yes, under the firearms act you need one. For storage, you need an off site safe with CCTV and a remote alarm.

This is incorrect all you would need is a safe. you can have up to three unrestricted firearms in just a safe or two restricted. I don't think they are going to ask for a monitored alarm for a paintball marker. it would be the same as an air rifle in terms of firearms.

ironclaw

juice1304 wrote: »

This is incorrect all you would need is a safe. you can have up to three unrestricted firearms in just a safe or two restricted. I don't think they are going to ask for a monitored alarm for a paintball marker. it would be the same as an air rifle in terms of firearms.

I was speaking in the context of a paintball centre i.e. Multiple paintball guns. And yes, you do need a monitored safe in that context.

On my license (for one paintball gun) I'm required to have it in a pistol safe. In all cases, you need a safe.

juice1304

how did you go about getting the licence? is it the same as applying for a normal licence? i have safes and a monitored alarm on both them and the room already. but as there are no clubs or serial number etc.. what do you say?

ironclaw

juice1304 wrote: »

how did you go about getting the licence? is it the same as applying for a normal licence? i have safes and a monitored alarm on both them and the room already. but as there are no clubs or serial number etc.. what do you say?

Talk to you local Superintendent. Only they can give the best advice.