More than two weeks have passed since our last e-mail to members, and we are pleased to hear that the experts believe that the peak of the pandemic has passed. Attention is now moving towards finding an appropriate pathway out of lockdown that is both safe and minimises the risk of a second significant peak in cases of Covid-19.

We are expecting to receive more information from the government on this subject later this week – as always, we will be led by their guidance and the advice of the LTA and England Squash when deciding the right course of action.

We are fully aware of how much you miss the club and having the freedom to play racket sports with your fellow members. Of course, we will be doing our best to get the club open again as soon as it is sensible to do so. Until there is a change, the club must remain closed.

We are working hard behind the scenes, making plans that will allow us to bounce back as quickly as possible after the restrictions are relaxed. In the meantime, we are giving you an update about some of the issues that the Club Council are considering.

Members’ Covid-19 Questionnaire & Club Finances

Thank you to the 80 members who completed our recent questionnaire. Full details of the responses received and a brief update on Club finances are available here. Please note that you will need to be logged into the members area to view this information.

Playing arrangements

When shutdown restrictions are relaxed, it is likely that there will be a requirement to maintain some degree of social distancing. As said previously, we will continue to be led by government policy and the advice received from the relevant national sporting bodies. However, we are already making plans to allow members to book courts (both tennis & squash) in a way that will minimise the possibility of unnecessary interactions. Ideas being considered include:

• Introducing an on-line booking system for the outdoor tennis courts
• Rearranging court booking times to minimise interactions near the courts
• Suitable hand-sanitisation stations located around the club
• Suitable limits on the number of players using the club/courts at the same time
• Possible requirements for masks/gloves and other forms of PPE
• Rearrangement of seating in the clubhouse and on the patio
• Changes to the serving of drinks (and food) to ensure both members and Isalie staff are safe from risk of infection

As soon as the government issues a clear plan for relaxation of the current restrictions, we will finalise our plans and communicate them to you via e-mail and the club’s website. It is likely that the re-opening will be staged over time. Members should understand that it is easier to apply social distancing for playing outdoor tennis. For this reason, it is likely that use of the outdoor tennis courts will restart before it is possible to use the indoor facilities.

You will appreciate that it is impossible to make any final decision on these matters until the government issues its guidance. We are hoping that greater clarity will be delivered in the announcement later this week.  

Thank you again for supporting the club – we look forward to providing more information about our plans for the re-opening.

Best wishes,

Mike Hawkes

Chairman