Welcome to our March newsletter! Although the winter squash season is coming to a close and the summer tennis season is just starting to take shape, we’re busy behind the scenes...

Our next membership year and financial year commence on 1st April, so Susannah and Vicky are fully occupied with subscription renewals, and the club council and committee members are hard at work getting our main 2025/26 investment and maintenance projects ready to go:

1. redesigned club website;
2. upgraded lighting (LED) on tennis courts 1-3 and 6a;
3. improved perimeter edging and fencing at the rear corner of tennis court 12;
4. court maintenance to the indoor tennis courts to improve the traction of the surfaces;
5. conversion to glass backwalls for squash courts 3 and 4, and an upgrade to the corridor ceiling outside those courts;
6. court maintenance to squash courts 1-4; and
7. redesign (to accommodate an extra cubicle) and refurbishment of the women’s toilets.

Which leads us on to say…

We believe we are now one of the leading members’ tennis and squash clubs in the country. To those who are rejoining and to all our future members, our commitment to you is that we will hold your membership cost flat in real terms, i.e. subs, court fees, light fees, coaching costs per level of coach, food and drink prices, will only ever go up in line with inflation; and yet, we will continuously improve the club year-on-year, i.e. the courts (all of them, tennis, squash, indoors, outdoors), the clubhouse, the overall facility and grounds. You will pay the same but you will get more in return. All the time. We do this already and have done for some while. But we just thought it was worth saying.

Just to add, though, don’t forget it’s your club. Help us to help you. Tell us your thoughts and observations. We will always respond. Two years ago, in August 2023, we launched our first members’ opinion survey on all aspects of the club. We committed to make it a biennial exercise and we will be repeating it at a similar time this year. As a reminder of your feedback and our views, see the full 2023 MOS report. (NB: You will need to be logged into the members area to view).

Tennis

Players required! Saturday 29th March 7am - 7pm.

Scott, Caroline and Henry Cartwright are doing a 12-hour Tennis-a-Thon to raise funds for a special cause for their close family friends whose son developed sepsis, narrowly survived, but has since had to have a double leg amputation. They are raising money for the Evelina Hospital which saved his life and has cared for him since. They need a few more volunteers to complete their challenge and are looking for willing players. Please message Caroline Cartwright on 07810 123555 or cpadley1@yahoo.com to book a slot.

The annual club tournament is now live! Entry details have been issued. Finals Day is Saturday 21st June. Let’s Go!

The National League Summer fixtures are also underway. Pro level tennis at our place! On Sunday we won our opening match against Thorpe Bay. Our other home matches are:

1. Sunday 18th May vs Roehampton; and
2. Sunday 8th June vs Queens Club.

Matches start 12 midday and the bar and kitchen are open. Come on down for a great afternoon!

Junior club night is now back! It’s great that it’s become a popular event on the town’s social calendar, and our club is a lovely environment for children to run around while parents unwind at the end of the week. But, parents, please keep an eye on things. The younger ones who are not outside on the tennis courts naturally try to explore areas such as the fire escape route behind the club and the squash court corridor and balcony. Friday after work is a popular time for people to play squash and racketball, but it’s not a creche for squash players and bar staff to manage.

Squash and Racketball

On Thursday 3rd April through that weekend, courts 1 and 2 will have their floors and walls thoroughly sanded and cleaned, making them look as good as new. Enjoy your new courts!

Courts 3 and 4 will be similarly maintained in the Summer, when we upgrade those courts to glass backwalls.

The annual club tournament is now well advanced, tracking to Finals Day on Saturday 26th April. Please put it in your diary - let’s make it a fabulous, well-attended event for all the players and their friends and family.

Just a tip for box league players. Occasionally we all make a mistake when entering box league results, e.g. putting an opponent’s core in the wrong column. Although they can’t be edited on the club website, you can change them on the screen in the clubhouse.

Finally, a shout-out to 3 of our members selected for England Masters in this month’s Home Internationals: Libby Montgomery, Ali Coker and Darren Withey. Ali and Darren will be captaining their country.

Social and Clubhouse News

Next event up is Kevin Mack Sings on Saturday 5th April. Join our very own Kevin McDermott for an evening of swing classics.

Closely followed by the return of Rock n Roll Bingo on Wednesday 9th April!

Tickets available from the bar or Graham graham@isalie.co.uk

Just so you know, we’ve had an upholstery deep clean of the lounge furniture. So, no sweaty squash players please!

Also, we’ve now got A4 line drawing prints of our Mary Casserley club painting available in the clubhouse for children to colour-in. Also available for adults!

Finally, if you have lost anything at the club recently, please check the lost property stock in the centenary room (room to left of changing room corridor) to see if you might be reunited. We will be clearing out the latest swathe of lost property at the end of the week as it can’t stay forever! 

Just one more thing / the Columbo section

We are welcoming back to the club Ian and Marjorie Duncan on Thursday 10th April at 11am.

Ian was the Club Chair in the 70s and Marjorie was Club Secretary. Ian led the merger between the (then separate) tennis and squash clubs (1976) and drove the club through a major period of change and growth, including installation of our first floodlights and an extension of the clubhouse to connect with the squash courts.

Ian was also a multiple times winner of our club tournaments, both in the singles and doubles. Partnering our Club President, Sue Wolstenholme, in the mixed doubles, and our Club Pro at the time, Peter Willetts, in the mens doubles.

Ian’s career then took him to America, and he was succeeded as Chair by Frank Glasspool. This is a rare trip back for Ian and Marjorie and they’d love to meet up with as many of their old friends as possible.

There will be some light catering available. If you knew Ian or Marjorie, please feel free to drop in; it is an open invitation.

Until next month, that’s all for now!

Club Council

(John Shaw, Phil Trimmer, Adam Suggett, Pete Walker, Matt Markwort, Tracey Mackey, Mark Shattock)