Information Relating to Artificial Clay and Padel Court Facilities
To help improve the playing facilities of the Club, and to advance the game of tennis in line with the Club’s overall objectives, the Committee recommends that:
“The Club invests up to £42,000 to resurface courts 3 and 4 with artificial clay from April 2025, with no further impact on the previously agreed fee rises of between 2%-3% for the 2025/26 season.”
The reasons supporting the proposal:
The installation of artificial clay on courts 1 and 2 has proved to be very popular, with these courts having a utilisation of XX%, significantly higher than any of our other courts.
Having four clay courts would better meet the needs of members for busy Club sessions and for team matches, when 4 courts of the same surface are required.
In the 2024 AGM survey, 72% of members said that, assuming no fee increases, that they would like two more clay courts for 2025.
In the AGM survey, 58% of members preferred playing on clay, and 79% of members said that clay is a better surface in wet and cold weather, and 64% said that clay was kinder on the knees.
Based on our 30+ year financial model, the installation of a further 2 clay courts is financially viable (see chart on slide x).
To help improve the playing facilities of the Club, and to advance the game of tennis in line with the Club’s overall objectives, the Committee recommends that:
“The Club invests up to £42,000 to install one temporary padel court on north end of court 8 from April 2025 (keeping space for the hitting wall on southern end of court). The new padel court would be available for members to book at initial rates of between £10 and £20 an hour. As part of the proposal, we would increase the maintenance program for hard courts 5,6 and 7 plus look to provide greater access for members to book these courts during the day. The pickleball lines on court 8 would be moved to one of the two public courts. Moving forward with this plan would have with no impact on agreed fee rises for 2025/26 season..”
The reasons supporting the proposal:
