Club Updates

Aquapark Special Offer – Sunday September 11th 2.20pm

Many of you will remember that last summer we had a club special event at Cliff Lakes Aqua Park, which was a great success and a thoroughly enjoyable day. Rich Quill has kindly offered use of the park to us again this year, with the proceeds from ticket sales to directly benefit the squash club.

We will be able to accommodate up to 100 people at a very reasonable cost of just £10 (includes a life jacket and wet suit). Participants need to be 6 years and above and must be 1.10m+.

Aqua park is to be found at Cliff Lakes, Tamworth Road, Cliff, Warwickshire, B78 2DL. The hour session will start at 2.20pm and we ask people to arrive around 1:50pm to allow for time to check-in ad receive a safety briefing.

Pictures and more details can be found on: https://www.clifflakes.co.uk/aquapark We really hope this event will be attractive to a good number of people.

How to book using Sportsbooker

We have made booking as simple as possible using the Sports Booker system. You will be able to do this by clicking on the Cliff Lakes Special session located under the court 5 on 11th September at 2.20pm

– or further details see the instructions at https://www.suttonsquashclub.net/aquapark/

Thanks again to Rich for providing the facility for what will be a fun afternoon at the park. Cliff Lakes has recently been awarded Trip Advisor Travellers Choice 2021 so this is an excellent opportunity for us to visit the park.

If you have any questions about the Aqua Park, please check the website and the FAQ section at https://www.clifflakes.co.uk/faqs or speak to a committee member.

Best Regards,

Nick and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

Notice Of 2021 AGM and Committee Change

ou may have seen that notices have been posted and put up in the club for the AGM on Tuesday 5th October 2021 at 7:30pm in the club function room.

The agenda for the meeting will be as follows

1. Apologies

2. Minutes of last year’s meeting

a) Confirmation
b) Matters Arising from those minutes

3. Directors Report

4. Accounts

5. Election of directors

6. Any Other Business

In relation to item 5, after taking on the role of Chariman last September and guiding us through the most challenging times in the clubs history, Dave Mullis has announced that due to other commitments, he will be standing down from the Committee.

After a challenging couple of years, the club is in an excellent position thanks to the efforts of Dave, Tony in his role as Chair at the beginning of the Pandemic and in providing on-going support to Dave and thanks also to the rest of the committee, Mike Alcock, Alf Beckett, Ian Brown, Chris Hall, Chris McMillan, Pete Oddy, Mike Alcock and Mat Stevens in steering the club through difficult times . Hopefully you will join us to hear about the clubs current position from Dave.

We are therefore looking for a new Chairperson for the club. This doesn’t have to be some one who is on the current Committee but someone who has strong leadership skills and is passionate about developing our great club further.

If you would are interested in this position or wish to discuss, please speak in confidence to a Committee member.

September 2021 Update

Lots of activity and events coming up over the next few months so have a look below

Aquapark Special – Sunday 19th September 4pm – £10 per ticket

If you haven’t yet booked for the club special at Cliff Lakes Aqua Park this Sunday 19th September at 4pm, you can do so following the instructions at www.suttonsquashclub.net/aquapark .

Offer for all members, friends and family. There are food and drink facilities open including a bar

Court Booking, Shower and Changing Room Changes from 26th September

From Sunday 26th September we will be returning court bookings back to back for 40 minutes, removing the changing room zones and reinstating all showers.

We would request that all court usage is booked through Sports Booker. It will not be necessary to book the Gym or Running Machine any longer

Ladies Learn to play Squash – from 22nd September

Looking to keep fit or try a new, exciting sport?

We have a 5 week ‘Ladies Learn to Play Squash’ course starting on Wednesday 22nd September (8pm-9pm) at Sutton Coldfield Squash Club.

Suitable for those new to the sport or with a little previous experience. £25 per person. Please let your friends and family know about this course

Welcome Back Disco – Saturday 25th September

A Welcome Back disco and social has been arranged for Saturday 25th September. It is for all Squash and Tennis members and friends (Adults only) from 7:30pm and will include a buffet and DJ.

For more details please contact Sarah Johnson for tickets on 07834 612079

Club Fundraising – 75 Club – chance to join in next year

The next club fund raiser 75 Club will being in January. We thank all participants for this year and would welcome new participants to help raise club funds in exchange for a chance to win in the monthly draw which includes 3 prizes and an Ipro sports shirt. It costs (£5 per month paid upfront as £60) and half the prize money goes towards the club improvement fund. To express your interest complete this form visit suttonsquashclub.net/75club

Annual General Meeting – 5th October, 7:30pm, Function Room

The Annual Club AGM will take place at 7:30pm in the function room on Tuesday 5th October. This is a chance to hear how the club has progressed and managed club finances during the period since the last AGM.

We welcome members to attend to hear how the club has done over the last years or so and what our future plans are during what has been a challenging time.

Club Championships (Squash & Racketball) Finals 13th/14th November

The Club Championships are now up and running. Please check the schedule if you are playing and arrange your game before the allotted times so the tournaments run efficiently.

We’ll update you on progress as we approach the later rounds but put the 13th and 14th November in your diary as we are sure to have some exciting finals after 2 years since the last event.

Aston & Fincher 4th International PSA Tournaments 23rd to 27th November

We are delighted to confirm that the 4th Aston & Fincher PSA tournaments will take place from 23rd to 27th November. In addition to the $6k competition we are thrilled to announce that this year the tournament will include a Womens tournament.

After missing out last year, we can’t wait to host these amazing tournaments at our club seeing some of the top men and womens world players at the club.

Aquapark Special Offer – September 19th 4pm

A few days ago we announced a great opportunity for squash club members, friends, family and children to have an hour of fun packed activity at one of the biggest Aqua Park in the UK.

Rich Quill (club member many will know) has very kindly given the squash club an opportunity to use the Aqua Park at Cliff Lakes. The proceeds from ticket sales will directly benefit the squash club.

We will be able to accommodate up to 120 people at a very reasonable cost of just £10 (includes a life jacket and wet suit).

Participants need to be 6 years and above and must be 1.10m+.

Aqua park is to be found at Cliff Lakes, Tamworth Road, Cliff, Warwickshire, B78 2DL.

The hour session will start at 4pm and we ask people to arrive around 3:30pm to allow for time to check-in ad receive a safety briefing.

Pictures and more details can be found on: https://www.clifflakes.co.uk/aquapark

We really hope this event will be attractive to a good number of people.

How to book using Sportsbooker

We have made booking as simple as possible using the Sports Booker system.

You will be able to do this by clicking on the Cliff Lakes Special session located under the Gym on 19th September at 4pm – for further details see the instructions at https://www.suttonsquashclub.net/aquapark/

If you have any questions about the Aqua Park, please check the website and the FAQ section at https://www.clifflakes.co.uk/faqs or speak to a committee member

Best Regards

Dave and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

Club Championships 2021

The entry for this years Squash and Racketball Championships is now open and closes on 27th August.

Both competitions will run in parallel this year

Fixtures will be posted shortly after closing with the finals taking place on 13th November for Racketball and Squash on 14th November

Categories include Open, Over 35, Over 45, Over 50, Over 55, Over 60, 65 and Ladies Open

You can enter by putting your name up on the noticeboard or this year online by completing the form at here

Thanks again to Pete Oddy for organising the competition.

If you have any questions about the competition, please contact Pete on 07773 068759.

Club Procedures with effect from 19th July

As you know, restrictions are easing from tomorrow, Monday 19th July. This is at a time where cases are rising particularly in our area and responsibilities are relaxed and shifted to individuals and businesses.

We feel that the following changes are reasonable for members and visitors of the club and ask everyone using the club to follow the revised procedures issued and advised by England Squash.

What remains?

We ask that face coverings are used when entering and leaving the club
The NHS QR code for those that wish to register using the club for track and trace
Hand sanitisers and cleaning materials for use as before
All club use and bookings to be made on Sports Booker
Hourly court slots with 40 minute sessions
Changing room zones and shower limit to 4

What is changing?

Spectators are allowed but asked to follow good hygiene, sanitisation and wearing a face covering whilst moving around in the club.
The one way system will be removed
Changing rooms can be used prior to a game and kit can be left during a game
Guests are allowed and should be booked through Sports Booker using court 5 as before
The Sauna will reopen
The booking screen will be reinstated
All toilet facilities will be available

We think these changes are proportionate and balanced given the changes in advice taking into account the increasing infection particularly in our area at this time.

We recognise that the majority of members have returned to regular play at the club but that some haven’t and are more nervous about doing so. So we welcome everyone to use the club safely, take personal responsibility and show respect and considerations for others in doing so.

We will continue to review and monitor these measures at the monthly committee meeting at the beginning of each month.

If you have any questions, please ask a member of the squash committee.

Best Regards

Dave and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

20th June – Please keep to the rules introduced to keep everyone safe in the current restrictions phase

It has been great seeing so many people back on court enoying Squash and Racketball.

Whilst it is disappointing that the restrictions easing on 21st June has been put back to 19th July, we are very fortunate to be able to play each other in the current phase.

We do however need to keep to the basic procedures to ensure that the club and it’s members are able to use the club safely and after the effort everyone has put in, it would be a shame if we had an outbreak at the club.

The procedure can be read here but here are a few of the basic key points we ask everyone to follow :-

We do request wearing of face coverings when entering and leaving the club – this is no different than any public indoor setting.

We ask that hand sanitisaion and the court door and touch point cleaning takes place before and after a game with the materials provided.

Accurate bookings remain mandatory as our record of who is using the club

Sticking to time is essential (arriving, leaving court and leaving the changing rooms) so that distancing and court gaps are maintained

Everyone needs to arrive ready to play as the changing rooms are for use after a game only and we ask that bags are taken on court. We appreciate this is difficult for some arriving from work but ask this is taken into account when arranging a game.

We really want to keep the current facilities operating including the changing room so please stick to these procedures.

We thank everyone following these simple measures and ask if everyone could make an extra effort for a few more weeks.

Best Regards
Dave and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

8th June – Membership Changes

GOOD NEWS ON FUTURE SQUASH AND RACKETBALL RENEWALS

It has been wonderful seeing so many people back at the squash club since the changes to national lockdown laws and government guidance.

It has been an incredibly challenging period for everyone and we hope you can now enjoy squash and racketball with old and new friends as we cautiously move towards a normal way of life.

The squash club committee would like to thank all the members for adhering to the Covid related rules imposed such as social distancing and restrictions of play.

While many of these restrictions are now lifted we would still ask you to continue to show personal responsibility when using the club with a keen focus on ‘Hands, Face, Space’.

We can now look forward with optimism that the club will remain open and feel the time is right to share with you what members will receive due to the extended period of closure.

We are pleased to share the following key headlines:

1) For members who rejoined in 2020, membership will be extended by 7 months to 1st April 2022.

2) Membership renewal will move permanently to 1st April

3) There is an offer for everyone including those who rejoin this month – click here for more details

The future financial stability of the club has always been at the heart of the committee’s vision for many years, and having developed a strong platform, through hard work and prudent financial decision making, the club was well placed to weather the storm that Covid brought, and will continue to bring.

A huge thank you must be extended to all who have donated their time and effort to ensure the future of the club, and facilitated quick and safe re-openings and closures as the law and guidance changed.

During this unprecedented crisis the committee have applied for various grants, with varied success. The club did successfully secure some funds, such as a business interruption insurance claim, which have allowed us to offer this generous membership extension.

Without these successful grants the club would not have been in a financial position to extend the membership, which demonstrates the level of challenge we have faced and continue to face with a reduced number of members and less income over the next seven months.

Therefore please spread the word that ‘we are back!’ and old and new members are welcome and essential to the long term future of our special club.

15th May – Welcome back to playing Squash and Racketball

Following the message earlier today we are delighted to announce a huge step in the type play allowed as from Monday 17th May. We can return to proper play with other club members and will not need to follow previous steps of forming squash bubble or having to play a socially distanced format.

In short we want to encourage all members to come back and play at the earliest opportunity.

We would like to focus on a few key points below and ask that you read the Club Procedure here before playing

The court booking schedule will not change in the first instance. We want to provide a safe environment that minimises congestion in the club and gives an opportunity for natural ventilation to work.
Please continue to come ready to play, take bags onto the court and change into squash shoes at the club. The requirement to book a court at all times remains in place (also applies to the free bookings for gym and running machine).
Please stick to the court booking and end times after 40 minutes. This will help reduce congestion both around the court areas and changing rooms.
The showers are open and there is system in place for changing room use after you have finished your game – the instructions will be outside the court.
The sauna will remain closed whilst we develop plans to open it up safely at a future date.

Over the next few days some of the notices around the club will be removed and changed. It is essential that we all think of others and follow instructions provided.

We would strongly recommend that people where a face mask when entering/leaving the club and in communal areas.

The provision of hand sanitiser and cleaning procedures will remain a top priority, as will social distancing when you are not on court.

The court booking system will open again at 2pm on Saturday 15th May.

We have kept this message short and over the next month further information will follow on plans for leagues, club competition, club nights, etc.

We look forward to seeing you on court in the very near future and encourage you to ease your way back into our fantastic club as soon as possible

See you there!

15th May – Great News – Full Squash and Racketball returns from Monday

Great News !! We were informed by England Squash late yesterday that the restrictions on the type play will be lifted significantly.

So from Monday we will be able to play with fellow club members without Sides or Bubbles. There is new guidance that we still need to follow.

The squash committee will be interpreting this and releasing a further message after meeting this morning.

We need to make booking system changes so Sports Booker has been temporarily switched off. We will send out further guidance mid afternoon today and the booking system will be switched on again at 2pm.

Thank you for your patience.

8th April – Booking System now available

The booking system is now available for bookings to be made from 12th April.

England Squash have yet to issue revised guidance to clubs approved through Sport England and Government so we are assuming everything is the same as when we were open in December. We will update with any changes as they confirmed.

The type of play permitted will be as follows:

• Solo

• Household

• Junior Group Coaching and Individual Coaching

We have had a few questions about the definition of a Support Bubble so the definition of a Support Bubble can be found here and we require all members playing in a Support Bubble to register following the enclosed instructions before booking.

Unfortunately an exclusive Support Bubble extends beyond just playing Squash or Racketball but we will support anyone who is in a genuine Support Bubble and know that everyone is itching to get back into competitive squash and these restricts prohibit that until further easing of restrictions are approved through England Squash, Sport England and the Government who set these.

As before all play for both squash courts and use of the gym needs to be via the booking system as this is an essential part of our COVID risk assessment. You will need to confirm your booking type when making a booking.

Court bookings will be for 40 minutes with a 20 minute gap prior to the next booking. Courts 4 and 5 will be for solo play only. There will be no booking fee for solo play on these courts although they must be booked.

Booking fees will apply courts 1,2,3 and 6. Light fees will apply to all courts so please remember to have some pound coins and 20 pences (£1.60 for 40 minutes)

Please come prepared to play and do not leave any bags in the changing area.

The showers and changing area will be open for use after exercising on a court or on gym equipment using the same zone and timing system as before

Instructions for using showers / changing areas are clearly marked outside each court.

The sauna will not be available until we receive further guidance on how to use such a facility in a safe manner – the sauna was upgraded as part of our club improvements and we will be keen to get this back in action ASAP.

It is essential that everyone follows the procedures to ensure that club is able to operate safely so please make sure you understand the procedures and if you have any questions, please ask a committee member

Finally, we encourage everyone to make a gentle return to court after a prolonged period of court so please make sure you warm up and ease your way back to your full game and beyond.

Club coach, Chris Hall is available for one to one coaching and can be contacted on 07961 106291 if you wish to have some coaching.

Please let us know if you have any questions

7th April – Update on Squash Club opening for 12th April WELCOME BACK

Club Update

Following on from our April committee meeting and further update from England Squash, we are pleased to announce that the club will open as planned on 12th April. England Squash will publish final guidance later this week for us to make any changes to our procedures and risk assessment but this e-mail sets out what we are expecting to provide.

The type of play permitted will be as follows:

• Solo

• Household

• Support Bubble – “A support bubble is a close support network between a household with only one adult or a household with one adult and one or more people and one other household of any size.”

• Junior Group Coaching

• Individual Coaching

The next milestone will be 17th May, when we are hopeful that the type of play allowed will be further relaxed.

Bar Update

We are absolutely delighted that the bar will also open on w/c 12th April for an outside service only.

Parasols and electric heaters will be available to make the outside experience as comfortable as possible. Considerable effort has been put into opening up the bar and therefore we would really encourage club members using this facility.

The opening hours for the first 2 weeks will be as follows. If you aren’t in the Club Social Whatsapp group, this is the best way of keeping up to date with any changes to the bar schedule which may include changes due to poor weather or demand – please reply with your name and mobile number if you aren’t yet in this group for the latest updates.

• Weds 5pm to 10pm

• Thurs 5pm to 10pm

• Fri 5pm to 10pm

• Sat 2pm to 7pm

Membership Update

We fully appreciate that members paid their annual subscriptions in September and the club has been closed for an extended period and re-opens with restrictions on the types of play.

The committee have been considering ways to address this and have agreed we will extend the current membership period into 2022. There remains a number of assumptions and uncertainties so the date in 2022 is still to be confirmed and has to be based on maintaining a viable financial position.

We will communicate the amended renewal date as soon as the future position is a little more settled and will provide an update after our next committee meeting on May 4th.

75 Club Update

Whilst the club has been closed we have managed to maintain good support for the 75 club. We now need to catch-up with making the draws for prizes outstanding. These will take place every Thursday starting 15th April at 7pm on the bar balcony throughout the next 2 months.

We would like to thank you for your continued patience and very much look forward to welcoming people back to squash and racketball. If you would like to keep updated on the latest news from England Squash then please refer to the England Squash website.

The booking system will be available from Thursday 8th at 8am when we will also remind members on how to make bookings and use the club following the same procedures when we closed last year.

If you have any questions, please let us know and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Best Regards

Dave and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

31st March – Update on Squash Club opening for 12th April WELCOME BACK

We are looking forward to opening up the squash club from Monday 12th April.

The latest information from England Squash is that they are working with Sport England to facilitate the re- opening of courts in line with step 2 of the Government road map.

Further detailed Government guidance for step 2 is expected no earlier than 5th April, so at the moment we cannot confirm what form of restrictions will be in place for 12th April.

We are working on the premise that the club will be allowed to re-open and we plan to provide playing opportunities in line with new guidance due to be released next week.

Separate communication will be issued regarding the bar re-opening arrangements.

We would like to thank you for your continued patience and very much look forward to welcoming people back to squash and racketball.

If you would like to keep updated on the latest news from England Squash then please refer to the England Squash website

We will be in touch again next week with more details on playing arrangements.

Tier 4 – Temporary Club Closure

It is with deep regret that the club will need to close this evening.

Many new areas of the country have now been placed into tier 4.

England Squash and Sport England rules indicate that we cannot offer household/support bubble, solo and coaching activity in Tier 4 – https://www.englandsquash.com/back-to-squash/guidance

Certainly not the news we wanted to bring as we move into a new year.

We will be ready to open again as soon as we are placed back into a lower tier.

Stay Safe and Healthy

Best Regards

Dave and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

121 Coaching available, Changing Rooms and Gym open from tomorrow 7th – Published 6th December

What happens from 2nd December? Published 28th November

England Squash published yesterday the types of play allowed when the national lock down ends on 2nd December. Birmingham will be in tier 3 and the options for play are extremely restrictive as announced on the England Squash website at https://www.englandsquash.com/back-to-squash/guidance

Unfortunately, there will not be any solo play or household/support bubble play as there was prior to lockdown. We are also waiting for clarification on adult coaching. The only type of play allowed will be coaching with juniors.

This is extremely disappointing news and we therefore need to carefully consider the options for opening the club or keeping it closed.

The England Squash announcement has come on a Friday afternoon and maybe subject to challenge from the squash community and further review. England Squash are the sports National Governing Body who are responsible to Sport England who are in turn responsible to the Department of Culture, Media and sport who flow down the central Government guidance on what is permitted.

The decision to not allow Solo or Household/Support Bubble play with coaching yet to be confirmed has been met by surprise within the squash community given that Gyms will be opening and other indoor sports are allowed. Warwickshire Squash are also writing to England Squash to get justification on the restrictions.

The local tiers are due to be reviewed again on the 16th December. We have noticed that it looks like Sides and Social distanced games are allowed in a squash bubble in tier 2. This is an improvement on where we were prior to the current restrictions, so hopefully transmission and cases drops in Birmingham over the next couple of weeks so we might get chance to get on court before Christmas.

So lots going on behind the scenes so the Committee will endeavour to provide you with a further update at the earliest opportunity next week.

Stay Safe and Healthy

Update from England Squash and Sports Recovery Fund Petition 18/11/20

We hope you and your families remain healthy and safe during the current restrictions and we all hope we will be able to open the club back up and get back on court soon.

England Squash have updated us below on some of the activities they continue to work on to help the Squash and Racketball community and lobby for post lock down restrictions we found ourselves in last month to be eased.

There is a Sports Recovery Fund petition they are asking all participants to complete to get Government debate on these matters so please read ahead and complete the petition mentioned in the note sent earlier by England Squash CEO Keir Worth.

Please sign the petition at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/553619 to help get the debate into Parliament to Save Community Sports Clubs and Leisure Facilities with a Sports Recovery Fund

We will as always keep you informed of any changes we are aware of and when things change as we remain in contact with England Squash.

Stay Safe and Healthy

Best Regards

Dave and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

To all Squash and Racketball players, families and friends,

Like you, I was hugely frustrated by the news that squash clubs must close once again at a time when players were beginning to get back on court.

COVID-19 has changed the world around us, affecting our families, communities, and our ability to do the things we love most, including playing, coaching, supporting and watching squash.

As we all know, squash is more than just being on court, it brings people together, and for many it’s a way of life. Squash clubs are at the heart of many communities and play a vital role in sustaining mental wellbeing and community spirit as we weather the pandemic storm.

I’ve been extremely proud and inspired by the resilience of the squash community, and heartened by the many stories of clubs, staff, coaches and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make facilities as safe as possible so that we could return to play.

The closure of courts for an extended period along with the new tiered restrictions have inevitably had a detrimental impact on our community, above and beyond the challenging financial pressures on facilities and the staff who work and volunteer within them. We are also aware of the huge social, health and general well-being impacts on players across the country.

England Squash continues to do everything possible to help the community through this unprecedented period, so that together we can recover and, where necessary, reinvent and secure a sustainable future for squash.

Alongside other national governing bodies including Badminton England and the Lawn Tennis Association, we have submitted a proposal to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for a relaxation of the rules at all tiers allowing an increased level of play, once the current lockdown is lifted.

We are also calling on Government to instigate emergency support to ensure sports clubs and leisure centres can remain open and survive the coming months through the Sports Recovery Fund petition at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/553619

We urge you to sign the petition and help it reach 100,000 signatures so that it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

To help shape our ongoing conversations with DCMS and Sport England in the return to play, and provide enhanced support and resources to clubs and venues, we have released a further club survey. We urge anyone involved in running a squash club or venue to complete the survey as soon as possible.

We will share further developments on the return to play by email, on our Back to Squash hub and across Twitter and Facebook.

Please do get in touch with the team if you have any questions or concerns: enquiries@englandsquash.com.

I am confident that by continuing to work together and combining our efforts, we will overcome the challenges ahead and emerge from this crisis stronger and more adaptable than ever.

My sincere thanks to you all for your continued efforts and support for the squash community.

Stay safe and stay well,

Keir Worth

England Squash CEO

Current Club Operating Status Summary – Updated 04/11/2020

Thanks to all members for their support and cooperation during these difficult times; you can be assured that the squash club committee will always hold members interests to be paramount. In response to the new Government lockdown measures (tbc on 4th November) we will be forced to close the squash club from 5th November to Wednesday 2nd December.
The Squash Committee met on 3rd November and will be taking steps to close down the club at the end of the evening on Wednesday 4th November. There are courts available so hoping some of you will wish to have a final game (household / support bubble / solo / coaching) before the doors are closed for a temporary period of time.

It will remain our intention to open the club again at the earliest opportunity and offer play within whatever measures are forced upon us in the future (following Government and England Squash instructions). We were all geared-up to re-open the changing rooms and showering facilities, and will look to act upon this as soon as it is safe to do so.

We are currently looking at funding opportunities open to us from Sport England and any other financial support options that will secure the standing of our club. We have a track record of applying for and securing financial support as demonstrated by the significant sum of money gratefully received from Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust – the club improvements this year have been covered by these funds.

We had a good response with membership renewals in September and attracted new members to the club as well. We are truly thankful for the support received from club members during these uncertain times. Our sole intention is to maintain a good sporting facility within our restricted financial budget. That being said, we are very much focused on considering an ‘offer’ to members to cover a period whilst the club is forced to close. We are hoping this will not be a significant period of time. We will be considering various options over the forthcoming months before we come to a final decision.

We look forward to opening the squash club doors again and welcoming you all back to play as soon as possible.

	Opening Hours	~~9am to 10pm, All courts must be booked. Opponent changes should be cancelled/rebooked~~
	Solo Practise	~~Please book with SOLO as your opponent in Sports Booker (Members Only)~~
	Normal Singles Game	~~For those in same household or Support Bubble only – please book with the correct opponent in Sports Booker (Members Only) – Enter HOUSEHOLD when booking~~
	Adapted Socially Distanced Games	~~Following England Squash Ways to Play only – please book with the correct opponent in Sports Booker (Members Only) Enter DISTANCED when booking~~
	Registered Bubble Games	Bubbles of up to 6 players registered by a Bubble Leader at www.suttonsquashclub.net/bubbles, requiring agreement to follow England Squash Bubble Guidance at https://www.englandsquash.com/back-to-squash/guidance-for-players
	Coaching	~~121 Coaching and Junior Groups (operating in smaller groups) contact Chris Hall – 07961 106291~~
	Club Facilities	~~Toilets for those playing only – one at a time. Use the Tennis Toilets if using the Bar~~ Changing Rooms – Closed arrive in your kit and leave after your session Sauna, Gym, Water Fountain, Booking Screen, Baggage Area – Closed until further notice
	Club Nights/Leagues	Not operating until further notice
	Bar	~~Weekends and Wednesday to Friday Evening- see here for more details. Strict hygiene and rules apply following Rule of 6 Guidance from 15/9/20~~

21st October 2020 Local Restrictions Update

UPDATE ON USE OF COURTS DURING CURRENT PLAYING RESTRICTIONS
Solo play arrangements on Courts 4 and 5.
Courts 4 and 5 are now set-up for solo play and will operate with only the top key installed.
We appreciate that one person would have the cost of both court booking and lights, therefore the booking fees for court 4 and 5 has been removed. PLEASE ONLY BOOK COURT 4 AND 5 FOR SOLO PLAY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. House and support bubble games will need to be played on the other courts where booking fees are still in place.
From the beginning of October there have been no booking fees Mon-Fri on all courts before 4:30pm and from 8:00pm. Saturday court booking fees apply between 12:00 and 5:00pm – all other times are free. Sunday has no current charge for court bookings
What type of play is still allowed.?
1. Single player (solo) practice
2. Two people from the same household or support bubble (match play / full squash game)
3. Up to 15 children from different households – coach led activity.
4. Individual coaching sessions.

What type of play is NOT allowed.?
1. Two players from different households cannot play on the same court. This means that bubble games (unless you are in the same household or support bubble) cannot be played. Also forms of socially distanced squash/racketball e.g. sides cannot be played by two people on the same court.
The committee totally appreciate what these restrictions mean but we have no choice but to enforce them.
Best Regards
Dave and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

16th October Local Restrictions Update

LOCAL RESTRICTIONS UPDATE FROM ENGLAND SQUASH – ACTIONED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT
After 6pm this evening, England Squash published new guidance on their website. It is with much regret that the new rules will have significant implications on the type of play allowed at the club whilst we are in the high COVID alert tier 2. Our club together with other squash clubs have little option other than to follow England Squash and Government instructions. We would encourage everyone to have a look at the England Squash website for further information – available here:

What type of play is still allowed.
1.       Single player (solo) practice
2.       Two people from the same household or support bubble (match play/full squash game)
3.       Up to 15 children from different households – coach led activity.
4.       We understand individual coaching sessions from Chris Hall for children will be allowed. Chris is confirming the situation with adult coaching sessions and he will be in touch with those already booked.

What type of play is NOT allowed.
1.       Two players from different households cannot play on the same court. This means that bubble games (unless you are in the same household) cannot be played. Also no form of socially distanced squash/racketball can be played by two people on the same court.

What action will we take at the club and what we ask from members.
1.       With immediate effect all court bookings (apart from ‘household’ and ‘solo’) will be cancelled and refunded. This will apply to all court bookings from Saturday 16^th October.
2.       Courts must be booked at all times and the only booking types allowed will be ‘solo’, ‘household’ and ‘coaching’.
3.       When Birmingham moves down to the medium alert tier 1, it is our understanding that we can return to having 2 people on the same court playing in bubbles again.
4.       We were able to get the club up and running at the earliest opportunity in July and our pledge to all members will be to relax the restrictions as soon as we are given the green light to do so.
5.       We have intentionally kept this message short given the speed with which we are required to act. I am sure that there will be questions that members wish to ask. We will try our best to be as responsive as possible and communicate new information as it becomes available.
And finally, we are really sorry to impose these restrictions and we consider it is vital to keep the club open in some capacity.
Regards,
Dave and the Squash Club Committee.

14th October Local Restrictions Update

As you know a 3 tier system for local restrictions is now in place. Birmingham is in Tier 2 – Very High and unfortunately the club bar has closed until further notice.
We are waiting for updated guidance from England Squash on what that means for us as they liase with Government and the Sporting community. They continue to publish updates at https://www.englandsquash.com/news/england-squash-coronavirus-statement
We hope we are able to continue as we are but will review the guidance they are expecting to update this week, at which time we will update members on any changes.
In the meantime, please continue to follow the current procedures.
We are also working on plans to open the changing room and showers in the next couple of weeks but again will keep you posted once we are clearer on the England Squash guidance.
Best Regards
Dave and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

Updates 25th Sept 2020

Heating & Hot Water Update
Following the replacement of our boiler, we now have good temperature on the courts and have running hot water – just in time for the weather changing. We have a safe plan to open the showers and changing rooms but now is not the right time to do that. You will all be aware that the spread of the virus is increasing dramatically and the Govt are not reducing restrictions now, quite the opposite. It is unpleasant not being able to shower after playing but we can play safely and have a towel down and have a quick drink/chat in the bar if we want to. Thank you for continuing to follow the club’s guidance, we now have over 100 members playing in bubbles of up to six – this feel more like squash/racketball.

We will open the showers/changing rooms when the time is right.
Best Regards
Dave and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

Start Saving £ Coins & 20p Pieces

We have all benefited from free court bookings and light charges since the Club re-opened on 25th July.
It has also had a positive impact on ensuring people book a court at all times and this serves as a register so we can comply with our COVID risk assessment and plan following the guidance from England Squash. It is ESSENTIAL that all courts are booked and that they are accurate i.e. the booking matches the players – amend the booking if one player is replaced with another.
To encourage court bookings during off-peak times, we have reduced some of the charges – these are the charges for the immediate future from 1st Oct:
Monday-Friday bookings will be free before 4:30pm and from 8pm.
Monday-Friday bookings from 4:30pm up to 8pm are £1.70 (same cost as before). Court 5 will be £1.20.
Saturday bookings from 12pm up to 4:30pm are £1.70 (£1.20 for court 5). Bookings will be free at all other times on Saturday.
Sunday court bookings will be free all day.
Court booking fees and coin meter incomes are an essential part of keeping the club financially viable and therefore we will be re-introducing charges from 1st October. So you will need to save up those £1 & 20p coins but don’t rob the kids piggy banks 🙂
Finally please refrain from booking double court sessions during peak times, it isn’t fair to others.
Best Regards & thanks for your continued support in following the guidance.
Dave and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

Update 24th Sept 2020

Following the new guidelines for hospitality businesses, we have changed the way the bar will operate from Thursday 24th September.
We will operate table service only.
This is the key change and a significant one for us. Please do not try to order at the bar, nor congregate there. Please sanitise your hands on entry, sign in (mandatory now), and then find a table. The bar team member will know you are in and get to you as soon as possible. Like many businesses we are having to adapt very quickly, so please bear with us as we work out the best way to run a table service and keep our great bar open.
As with all other businesses, please be prepared to wear a mask around the bar and other public areas until you have found your seat.
We all know this is a hot topic for many people, but it is what it is, and it is key to us staying open that we follow these guidelines.
Your support with adapting to these changes is truly appreciated and ensures our club is safe, compliant and stays open.

Any questions do ask anyone of us, and we’ll try to help .
Oliver, Tony, Norma, Peter, Mark and Pete
Best Regards
SCHCC Bar and House Committee

Update 17th Sept 2020

Squash Booking Changes from 1st October

Here are a few important changes over the next few weeks
Renewal New Keys Needed from this Sunday 20th
A reminder that you will need your new key from this weekend Sunday 20th – if you didn’t collect your key at the weekend, you will either be given your key if you are down the club the next few days or they will be posted
Also from this date only members that have renewed, will be able to make a booking and appear as an opponent in the system.
Use Court 5 for Solo Practice
A reminder Court 5 is the only court for Solo practice as only key is required.
Court Booking Fees from 1st October
We have all benefited from free court bookings and light charges since the Club re-opened on 25th July.
It has also had a positive impact on ensuring people book a court at all times and this serves as a register so we can comply with our COVID risk assessment and plan following the guidance from England Squash.
Court booking fees and coin meter incomes are an essential part of keeping the club financially viable and therefore we will be re-introducing charges from 1st October.
Good News – Reduced Booking Off Peak Fees for October & November
For the next 2 months there is some positive news. Up to the end of November 2020, we will have free court bookings during certain periods.
The Court booking fees for booking dates from 1st October will be:
Monday-Friday bookings will be free before 4:30pm and from 8pm.
Monday-Friday bookings from 4:30pm up to 8pm are £1.70 (same cost as before). Court 5 will be £1.20.
Saturday bookings from 12pm up to 4:30pm are £1.70 (£1.20 for court 5). Bookings will be free at all other times on Saturday.
Sunday court bookings will be free all day.
We need to ensure bookings are limited to 40 minutes at all times and that all play is booked with the correct opponent and method of game to be played in Sports Booker.
Coin Meter lights fees to resume from 1st October
From the 1st October, you will also need coins to operate the lights.
A reminder for 40 minutes, you will need £1 for 25 minutes and 3 x 20p for 3 x 15 minutes.

Regards,
Dave and Squash Committee.

Update 17th Sept 2020

The award winning street food vendor The English Indian will be at the club this Saturday 19th 4:30 – 8:15. The menu is a fusion of Indian Spice & Traditional Fish & Chips. It is click and collect only and use the discount code to obtain 10% reduction on their published prices. Here’s how you order:
Go to http://exploretock.com/theenglishindian
On the right hand side there’s a calendar, click Sat 19th and you will see the Sutton venue appear on the left, you can view menu and place you order, select a time to pick it up. Then make the payment and apply the discount code, which is CLUBMEMBER
They plan to be at the club each Saturday every fourth week, so 19th Sept, then 17th October and 14th November. If there is sufficient demand, they will continue and or come more often.

Enjoy

Update 2nd Sept 2020

Some things are changing for the better at the club and we need everyone’s support/cooperation for these things to work and continue.

1. Our heating boiler will be replaced and installed w/c 7th September & should be finished that week.
2. We are working on a method for opening the showers/changing areas safely. This will be finalised soon & we will keep you informed.
3. We will be extending the club opening times to be 9am – 10pm EVERY day. We are hoping to change the booking system to allow this from around 12th Sept.
4. Return to competitive play using play bubbles. Please be patient, England Squash (after discussion with UK Govt) says that the club controls the bubbles. Guidance is available on this link (half way down page)
https://www.englandsquash.com/back-to-squash/guidance-for-players

Play bubbles – how will they work, what do you need to do?
1. For each bubble we need a Bubble Leader, this leader will maintain their bubble and communicate (changes, queries etc) with the club via the Bubbles WhatsApp group.
2. The leader selects up to 5 pals to be in that bubble for the foreseeable future.
3. Then the leader familiarises themselves with the bubble play hygiene and social distancing rules and ensures all members of their bubble follow these rules. Registers your bubble here: http://www.suttonsquashclub.net/bubbles/
4. Join the Bubbles WhatsApp group and communicate any queries/changes etc . Dave Mulllis, Chris Hall, Mat Stevens & Tony McAllister are admins of the group. So proposed bubble leaders should request to be added.
5. You can then play competitive squash/racketball within your bubble, following the guidance.
Anyone who doesn’t want to be in a bubble can, of course, cotinue to play a socially distant game e.g. Sides.
The bubbles apply to squash and racketball, but remember that each player can belong to only one bubble.
We will release FAQs when we have some frequently asked questions to share.
On a related note, thank you all for observing the COVID rules but can I remind you to leave court after 40mins to allow air to circulate before the next players arrive.
Best Regards
Tony and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

Update Thursday 20th August 2020 – Reminder about safety

Thanks to all those that are observing our safety guidance regarding COVID-19.
However there are a few who need reminding of the following:
1. Don’t arrive in your squash shoes, we don’t want dirt and grit on court.
2. Always book a court and play on that court against the opponent chosen or SOLO. Edit the booking if something changes.
3. Play safely i.e. a socially distant game or routine, unless you are lucky enough to be able to play a household member.
4. Use disinfectant spray on the court door handles before and after play
We all want to play normally and have a shower afterwards and we absolutely will permit this as soon as Govt guidance allows – I can’t wait.
Best Regards and play safe to stay safe – protect your club.
Tony and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

Update Saturday 16th August 2020 – Subs due soon

We are pleased that many members have shown an interest in playing during August. Sutton Coldfield Squash Rackets Club opened at the earliest opportunity and we have really tried to focus on putting the necessary safety measures in place.
The club never seeks to make any profit, other than what we put aside for maintenance and renewals. All UK sports clubs are under severe financial pressure because of lost revenue during closure combined with a certain reduction in membership numbers because of health and financial concerns. We are no different, we know that some of you will have been on furlough, laid off or otherwise concerned about the future. We also recognise that some of you will have health concerns for yourself and/or family members. Things will change; the best scientific brains in the world are working on a vaccine.

The committee has decided the following regarding membership fees for the next membership year.
1. This year’s renewal date will be Saturday 12th Sept, Chris McMillan (& others) will be on site from 12 noon-3pm to help with this. However now more than ever, we encourage you to pay via BACS – less social contact is better just now. The locks will be changed on the same day and new keys provided.
2. Free court bookings and light fees will continue until end of September 2020. All annual fees are the same as this year.
3. For those re-joining who feel that they deserve some compensation for the period of enforced closure (in addition to 10 weeks free play provided), can deduct 10% from their annual membership fee. This offer will be available until the end of September.
4. We cannot offer monthly membership, we have no staff to administer this and it is an ANNUAL fee and not refundable. However if anyone wants to join and cannot afford the lump sum please contact Tony, in confidence, to discuss possible options.

• Full Playing Members £305
• Veteran Members (Over 65 on 1/9/20) £205
• Off Peak Members (Last booking 4:30pm) £205
• Leisure Members £100
• Junior Members (for those under 19) £65
• Young Adult Member 19-24 (on 1/9/20) £205
• Student membership 19-24 (on 1/9/20)
& in full time Education (proof required) £130
• Social Member (No courts, sauna or gym use) £55

Family discounts:
Member playing with another close family member (generally parents & kids), £15 discount applies. or: Two full members, up to 2 children’s membership is free.
Payment Methods

1. Pay by bank transfer before 1st September to the account details below and receive key in post (allow 10 days). If you can, this is the easiest/safest payment method for all.
Barclays Bank – account name Sutton Coldfield Squash Rackets Club Ltd
Sort code: 20-07-89 – Account Number 80865788. The previous sort code will still work for now.
Use your name & postcode as the reference (so we know who is paying).
2. Come along to the club on Saturday 12th September 12pm to 3pm with a Cheque or Cash and collect your key.
3. Post cheque to Chris McMillan and receive key in post (allow 10 days).
When paying by cheque make it out to SCSRC Ltd & write your name, postcode and swipe card number on the reverse side.
Post these to Mr C McMillan, 277 Reddicap Heath Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B75 7ES.
Please do not leave payments behind the bar.
Training keys and lost keys and swipe cards incur a £20 charge per item.
There will be no charge for broken or faulty key/card, however the faulty key/card will need to be returned and identified as broken. Training keys will only be issued at the discretion of the committee upon written application.

Contact details
Tony McAllister – tonymcallister3@gmail.com & 07531 059126
Chris McMillan – chris@pqal.co.uk & 07779 155045

Update Friday 7th August 2020

We’ve now been open for a couple of weeks and just wanted to keep you up to date with progress.
Thank you to everyone to obeying the hygiene and social distancing rules that we have had to put in place. To keep the club open, we all have to keep doing this.
Massive thank you to all of the volunteers who have given their free time to meet everyone on their 1st visit back to the club – I really appreciate it and you should too.
We now know that we have met the majority of playing members and confident that we have a secure plan that works. We will have to keep monitoring this, but it is time to stop the meeting and greeting process.
From close of play on Saturday (8th August), we will remove the padlock and revert back to the mag-lock to gain entry to the club – YOU WILL NEED YOUR KEY.
Pre-COVID, we relied on the cleaners opening and bar staff closing up – this is currently not available. So if you are the 1st player to arrive, please safely (sanitise hands before and after) turn on the court lights and other lights. If you know you are the last player to leave, safely turn off lights and lock door on exit.
Also we have altered the booking system to allow play on Sundays to be similar to Saturdays – the opening times are below. It is still essential that you book your time on court with the correct opponent, if we are asked to provide track and trace information, it has to be BANG ON.
We’d all prefer to take a shower after play and also have proper competitive games. This is impossible at the moment but we will open up the facilities when we have the appropriate advice from UK Govt and England Squash.
Looking around the country there are multiple virus spikes, we don’t want one here – we all know the rules, so stick to them for your own sake and don’t spoil it for other members.

Opening Times
Saturdays 10am-7pm, Sundays 10am-7pm, Weekdays Noon to 9p
Further to this message, I meant to say this.
If anyone hasn’t played and now wants to, please contact me and I’ll arrange for someone to meet you to run through the hygiene and social distancing rules.
Cheers
Tony
07531 059126

Latest Communications

Tuesday 27th July 2020

Access To Site Change From this Saturday 31st August

The outside one-way system will be removed from this Saturday, so entrance to the site will be back to normal – use you swipe card to enter through green side-gate. This makes the site more secure and the one-way is no longer required. The padlocks on this gate will also be removed at this time. The padlock will remain on the entrance adjacent to the tennis office for the time-being. The padlock will also remain on the squash entrance until we and met the majority of players and explained (face to face) our hygiene and social distance regulations. For the two weeks, following opening, there will be someone greeting all members that have booked a court – this person will remove and refit our padlock.
Thanks for your cooperation, this way we don’t have a problem, keep the club open and hope we can reduce restrictions when UK Govt allow this.
Have fun and stay safe.

Monday 26th July 2020

Fantastic First Day Back

Thanks to all those members that came back to the club yesterday and enthusiastically observed the hygiene and social distancing guidance. This is exactly what we need to do to ensure we can keep it open.
The bar was busy and again was safe because of the work done by all those that were there, staff and members alike. The bar taking were over £1k, mostly from one table as far as I could tell ha ha.
We learned a few things, of course we did – we’ve never had to do this before. So expect a few tweaks over the next period to make it better and safer.
Update on guidance: We ask you to arrive ready to play but a few people correctly pointed out that we don’t want dirty shoes to go on court. So please arrive in different footwear and change into court shoes before play.
We hope that there will be further changes to the activities that we can do on court in the near future. But in the meantime, please check out the England Squash videos which can be downloaded from this page
https://www.englandsquash.com/backtosquash
There are 2 videos – How To Play Sides and Socially Distanced Practices Routines. They apply to racketball as well as squash and you might find that you can do more than you initially think. Check these out!
Now I’m going to get personal, none of this would have happened without the selfless work done by these individuals – massive thanks and congratulations to all those that helped:
Mat Stevens
Chris Hall
Dave Mullis
Mike Alcock
Mark Eagles
Dave “Luke” Lucas
Pete Oddy
Pete Hull
Zach Marshall
Alf Beckett
Ian Brown
Chris McMillan
“Lord” Ollie Fincher
If I’ve missed anyone out, it’s just an age thing.
Tony x

Friday 24th July 2020

So we’re back tomorrow, can’t wait and just heard that we have hot water for hand washing.

Mike “Tarantino” Alcock has made a video tour of the new club facilities (above) and the hygiene and social distancing measures that we ALL have to use.
The first time you arrive at the club, one of us will welcome you and give you a little tour to see the changes and make sure that you understand your responsibilities. You will see big changes that have proved essential, also as said before we have been able to upgrade the club significantly during lockdown.
The bar will be open as follows:
Saturday – 1pm to 6pm
Wednesday 5pm – 9pm
Thursday 5pm – 9pm
Friday 5pm – 9pm
After playing either go home and get showered or towel down and maybe change your shirt (come prepared). We will open the showers/changing rooms as soon as allowed.
The bar opening days/hours are on a trial basis, we may need to adjust them up or down according to demand, so use it and have fun safely.

Here are some links to some extra ways to play squash and racketball.
https://www.englandsquash.com/backtosquash
The sides video is available as before, but lower down there’s a demonstration of some of England Squash’s socially distanced practice routines which we can have a go at.

It has been a really difficult period for everyone and we are starting to see changes back to “normal”. Please work with us to make sure we don’t have to take steps in the opposite direction.

Tony and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

Let’s All Enjoy The Club Experience Safely from Sat 25th July 2020

Thursday 23rd July 2020
We can see from the court booking system that lots of our members are keen to get back on court, I am. But obviously some are nervous for a variety of reasons, including having a vulnerable family member. We hope that everyone will return to the sports that we love, when they are ready.
The committee have worked tirelessly to open the club back up in a COVID-19 safe way, following guidance from England Squash and the UK Govt. No life activity is 100% safe and the club isn’t but when you return, I’m sure that you will be impressed by what we have achieved.
All of the Club’s policies, inc for COVID-19 are available on HERE, please take the time to read it. I realise that some of may not do that, so read below – we will be releasing a walk-through video later today or tomorrow morning which you will find valuable – so watch this space. We are using WhatsApp groups to help get the message out there, so watch out for them if you belong to a club based group. Similarly Facebook is used. In the next communication, we hope to have some England Squash videos showing more COVID safe ways to play – again keep in touch so you can give these a try.
Main points to remember when coming back to play:
1. Always book your court against opponent or choose SOLO. It is vital that we know who has been on site, cancel and rebook if any changes are made.
2. Don’t attend if you have COVID-19 symptoms or anyone in household has.
3. For the first 2 weeks, you will be met by a committee member or deputy to welcome you back to the club and run you through the safety procedure.
4. Bring your key to gain entry but we will try to have key in all court locks.
5. Come dressed to play, kit at front of court – leave court after 40 minsSanitise your hands on arrival and departure.
6. Members only, apart from coached sessions & guardians of youngsters – no spectators
7. Matches only allowed between households/support bubbles, organised coaching or adapted games recognised by England Squash https://www.englandsquash.com/backtosquash Called Ways To Play.
8. Don’t wipe sweaty hands on court walls.
9. The courts and toilets are open, but we have no hot water – we are working to resolve ASAP.
10. All other areas are closed; gym, showers/changing room, bag store etc

Have fun in a safe way, support your club if you can and take care.

Tony and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

Here is the latest status of the clubs operation in relation to Covid-19). This page will be updated as any changes or updates are issued.

We will always follow the update and guidance from England Squash who govern Squash – The latest statements from England Squash are available HERE

Wednesday 22nd July – Club Reopening plans from Saturday 25th

Ahead of the club opening upon Saturday 25th July, the court booking system is now open.

You will notice some differences that we had to introduce. Court playing time remains 40 mins but each court slot is now 1hr, come off court after 40 mins to allow air to circulate before next player(s).

Courts MUST be booked, so we know who has attended in case we are approached by track and trace. Booking and light fees are waived for a couple of weeks.

Main points to remember when coming back to club:

Always book your court against opponent or choose SOLO.
Don’t attend if you have COVID-19 symptoms or anyone in household has.
Come dressed to play, kit at front of court – leave court after 40 mins
Sanitise your hands on arrival and departure
Members only apart from coached sessions & guardians of youngsters – no spectators
Matches only allowed between households/support bubbles, organised coaching or adapted games recognised by England Squash – https://www.englandsquash.com/backtosquash Ways To Play
Don’t wipe sweaty hands on court walls
The courts and toilets are open, we have no hot water – we are working to resolve ASAP.
All other areas are close; gym, showers/changing room, bag store etc

Chris Hall is providing coaching, it is a great time to improve your game. Tues, Wed & Thurs 12:00-8:30, Sat 10:00 – 4:00 – 07961 106291

Further messages will sent later in the week, but come back to the club confident that it is safe. Follow our guidelines to keep it safe and as time goes by we hope to reduces restrictions.

If anything is not clear please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Saturday 18th July

Fantastic News – We will be opening the squash club on Saturday 25th July 2020 (the first day we are legally able to).

Your committee are working very hard to make the club as COVID-19 safe as is possible. Of course there will be significant restrictions at first – hopefully this will ease in the coming weeks.

The poster at the foot of the page tries to explain what we will be able to do and with whom. There seems to be some confusion over the expression “support bubble”, currently this does NOT mean that you can bubble up with a few of your mates.

It refers to a single person being able to go to someone’s house e.g. a grandmother can go to their son’s house and spend time with their kids and grandkids.

There will be no club nights initially and only members will be able to play. Coaching will be available on a one to one basis or in same households/support bubbles (max 2 people). There will no group coaching initially but there may be the potential to introduce small groups over the coming weeks/months.

By now we are all familiar with the requirements of good hygiene and social distancing.

If we all practice these things thoroughly, we will be able to keep the club open.

Detailed COVID-19 safe procedures will be sent out next week. These will also be displayed prominently throughout the building – but here are a few pointers that will certainly apply:

Always book a court, we need to know who has been on the courts for track and trace to work. Booking fees and light fees will be suspended for at least the first 2 weeks – we are aiming to open booking at 8am on Wednesday 22nd July.
Come dressed to play, the changing rooms and showers will not be available in the first phase. Be sensible about using the bar after playing.
There will be six automatic hand sanitisers, use them on arrival and departure.
Don’t touch anything that you don’t need to, particularly the court walls.
Don’t attend if you or a family member has symptoms of COVID-19.

Best Regards

Tony and the Sutton Squash Club Committee

Wednesday 15th July

We have received guidance from our governing body, England Squash and the committee are going to review this over the next few days. We need to understand what COVID-19 safe measures that we have to take in our specific setting. All squash clubs are different in many ways.

Further information will follow when we have absorbed this info and applied it to our club.

England Squash’s guidance is freely available on their website here:

https://www.englandsquash.com/news/england-squash-coronavirus-statement. Then follow the links to the guidance.

We will be in touch again soon

Friday 10th July

As you may have seen in the news yesterday, there have been more easing of the lockdown restrictions.

Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Oliver Dowden yesterday said this:

“And from Saturday 25th, people will no longer have to work out in the park or on their living room floor. They’ll be able to get back into their gyms, their indoor swimming pools, their leisure centres, and jump on the spin bike or treadmill for the first time in months.”

This is great news but what exactly does this mean for squash clubs?

Unfortunately at this moment the answer is, we don’t really know. England Squash will be sending us guidance next week and the committee will do everything that we can to open the club up SAFELY. But we must follow the advice of our governing body and the government. Please see England Squash’s message below.

We are also looking at way to open the bar (safely) with a restricted service, again we hope to have more news next week.

The current phase of club refurbishment is almost complete. I’ll send some more pictures next week.

So the purpose of this email is to keep you all up to date, as best we can, in a difficult situation which is changing rapidly.

We have all been through it this year, everyone all over the world. So when we can open the club and the bar, there will be restrictions and it is ABSOLUTELY necessary that we ALL follow them. What we don’t want is to have to close one or both close again after opening. We have seen this happen all over the world, checkout the news from the US. This virus hasn’t gone away and we have to learn to live with it for the foreseeable future.

So fantastic news but just be patient and we will have more to share next week.

Best Regards

Tony and the Sutton Squash Club Committee