Please keep reading for an update on our plans for the clubhouse extension, the results of the padel survey, and other Club news.
Clubhouse Extension Plans – We Welcome More Feedback
Having now received costs from three potential suppliers for the future development of the clubhouse, we have agreed to delay the project by at least two months to take a fresh look at our plans and gather wider feedback from members. Our objective remains the same — to create a clubhouse that better meets the needs of our growing membership, while recognising that our budget ultimately has its limits. If you would like to share your views, please take a look at the latest plans on the website and reply to this email, or better still, come along to one of our informal feedback sessions (with free coffee and drinks!) on Tuesday 8 September at 11am or 7pm, or Wednesday 9 September at 11am or 7pm.
Padel Survey Results – Thanks for Your Feedback
A big thank you to everyone who took part in our recent Padel Survey. We had some really useful feedback and it was great to see such strong support for padel at Wargrave — 97% said it adds value to the Club and 91% were pleased with our investment in the two courts. You can now download the full survey results here. The Committee are currently working on the next steps, including ongoing weekly Social Padel sessions, an expanded coaching programme with provision for beginners, and a new ongoing padel competition. More details coming soon!
Club Championships – Play Your Matches
Congratulations to everyone who is playing in our biggest-ever Club Championships, with more than 150 members competing across nine events. A reminder to all competitors to please arrange and play your matches before the deadline for each round to help keep the Championships on schedule. The draws and match details can be viewed on the Match Space app (code RLMMU-8474). And don’t forget to keep Sunday 20 September free for our Finals Day – one of the highlights of the Club calendar, with members, family and friends all welcome to come along and enjoy a great day’s tennis, padel and pickleball.
Social Padel and Pickleball – Fun Finals Day Competition
Kick off Finals Day with our fun Padel & Pickleball Competition, open to all adult members aged 18+. Partners will be assigned on the day, with everyone playing at least four games of padel and four of pickleball before the top pairs progress to the semi-finals and final. Entry is FREE and exclusively for members (ignore the £999 booking fee — that’s just to deter non-members!). Afterwards, stay for a burger and a drink and watch the main tennis and padel finals from around 1pm. Click here to register.
Wimbledon Success – Well Done to Ollie, Dawn and John.
Congratulations to Head Coach Ollie Brown plus club members Dawn Broomfield and John Winston on their success at the Wimbledon Masters competition. Ollie and his partner Peter Avis reached the semi-finals of the Over-30 Men’s Doubles, including an emphatic 6–1, 6–1 quarter-final victory, before eventually losing to the top seeds. Dawn and John had equally impressive results on the famous Wimbledon grass. Click on the following link to read the full story.
Reduced Membership Rates Now Available – Tell Your Friends
A reminder to spread the word to friends, neighbours or your regular guests – our reduced pro-rata membership rates are now available, with our Adult (31+) membership reduced from £269 to just £168 for the remainder of the season. Full details are available on our website. With the Club now getting closer to introducing a waiting list, we’d encourage prospective members to join sooner rather than later.
Padel Court Update – A More Comprehensive Fix
We are still working with our court supplier to confirm a date to fix the variable bounce on Padel Court 9. This will involve lifting the carpet and re-levelling/re-tarmacking the entire rear section of the court (approximately 5 x 10 metres). We are doing our best to get the work completed before Club Finals Weekend. In the meantime, the court is still playable, although players may experience the occasional odd bounce. Please bear with us — we appreciate your patience while we get this fixed.
Club Security – Please Lock Up
A reminder that if you’re the last member to leave the Club, please make sure the clubhouse is locked, all windows are closed, the lights are switched off and the entrance gates are securely closed behind you. Taking a few moments to do these simple checks helps keep our facilities safe and secure for everyone. Thank you for your support.
Guests of Members – Please Pay The Visitor Fees
Don’t forget that any guests must be accompanied by a member and they should pay the £5 all-day visitor fee via the QR code BEFORE play begins. Guests may visit up to four times per year before joining is required. We will conduct occasional checks, but we ultimately rely on members to ensure that their guests aren’t playing for free.
Welcome New Members – Record Numbers
Finally, a warm welcome to all our new members who have joined us in the last 2 months. Please read the Club Welcome Letter, complete the feedback survey and join our WhatsApp Community (password: wargrave). Our current total membership stands at 567, including 388 adult members. This is a Club record, with membership up by 30% in the past 12 months alone, and over 80% higher in the past 5 years. But don’t worry, we are closely tracking court booking data to confirm when we might need to introduce a waiting list to ensure that the Club doesn’t get too busy.
The Committee 🎾