Dear Member,
This is to notify you of the slight change to Autumn/Winter tennis arrangments at the tennis club.
1. Commencing on Thursday 3rd November the tennis nets will be taken down during the afternoon for junior football training on Thursday evening from 6:00 pm until 7:00 pm during the autumn and winter. There will also be a football session on Friday evenings, at the same time as the Thursday session, but we are not sure of the start date for that. Members will be informed when that those sessions are due to commence.
2. From the Thursday 3rd November the floodlights will not be available for use by members for social play during the autumn/winter period. This is because the floodlights will be working on a timer from the Memorial Hall which is pre-set for the football times (football goes ahead whatever the weather unless there are snow or frost issues).
3. It will still be possible for members to play any time at the weekends or during the day throughout the period. Arrangements will be made for nets to be up for weekend social sessions on either a Saturday morning or Sunday morning (weather permitting) and then be taken down on Thursday afternoon. If for any reason the nets are not put up on a Saturday or Sunday, members can still get a net out and use the courts.
4. Once the Friday football session start, members can still play on a Friday during the day but may have to put a net up and take it down afterwards. The net can then be be left in the recess at the top or bottom of the courts rather than putting it/them back in the box at the top of the courts . This will make it easier for people attending weekend social sessions to put a net up.
These arrangements will be kept under review and and members will be notified accordingly.
Note: The reason why the courts are used in this way is because some of the funding for the court area came from the Football Trust and the Sports Club has for over 25 years allowed junior football on the area. In reality, tennis usage drops off considerably durng the winter months and the use by junior football also brings in revenue from the hire charges at a time when the area would likely be stood unused. The aim is still to provide court time for members during the late autum and winter period.
Mick Mason
Chair