Coronavirus (Covid-19) - guidelines for play
UPDATED 29 MARCH 2021
It's great that the club is now open again but strict guidelines must be followed so that we can all play tennis in a safe environment, including mandatory booking of courts. These guidelines have been designed in line with the latest LTA guidance and following our own risk assessment and must be read in full before you book a court and play.
Any player(s) repeatedly not following the guidelines will be asked to leave the premises immediately and may jeopardise their membership or result in the Club having to shut.
Please be aware this guidance may change and restrictions may be reintroduced at any time. Please check back here regularly for the latest updates.
Staying Safe
Undertaking any activity, including tennis, has the potential for increased risk of transmission of COVID-19. Please ensure you have read the Government Guidance on staying safe outside your home before you come to play.
IMPORTANT:
Anyone attending the Club must undergo a pre-attendance self-assessment for any COVID-19 symptoms using the information on the NHS website before leaving home. No-one should leave home to participate in tennis if they, or someone they live with, has symptoms of COVID-19, currently recognized as any of the following:
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A high temperature
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A new, continuous cough
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A loss of, or change to their sense of smell or taste
Should an individual have demonstrated any such symptoms, they must follow NHS and PHE guidance on self-isolation.
If you develop symptoms after playing, please let the Club know, including the time and day you played and who you shared a court with. You must also follow Government guidance regarding isolating and test and trace.
It is essential that you book a court every time you play and include all the names of the players on court with you for each game so that we can assist NHS Test and Trace should we need to.
Permitted Activities
Whilst you can continue to play singles and doubles, arrangements for meeting and playing with friends at the Club are limited to groups of 6 as per the government guidelines. You can play with no more than 5 other people from different households and social distancing must be observed.
Tennis balls are available to use in the white wooden boxes and will be left in the usual place by the floodlight token boxes. If you wish to use them, please help yourself and return them at the end of your game. (Please follow the guidelines on entering the bar area for use of the floodlights).
Organised social tennis has resumed on Monday mornings, Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Members must book via Clubspark (to cancel please let a Committee member know). This organised activity is exempt from the current restrictions of a maximum of 6.
Social distancing must be observed during social tennis sessions including arrival, departure and whilst switching courts. For example, if on arrival for social tennis there is an available court, please make your way directly on to it and do not wait outside the Clubhouse.
The Clubhouse
The main clubhouse will remain closed except for Committee Members and Coaches who need access to equipment and to enable the running of the Club.
Access to toilets is via the side door. Please only use the facilities if you really need to. Only one person at a time is permitted into the toilets so please wait outside the Clubhouse if they are in use. Please sanitize your hands before you go into the Clubhouse. Afterwards, please wash your hands thoroughly and dry them using the paper towels provided. Place the paper towel in the bin and sanitize your hands when you go back on court.
Members may access to the floodlight token boxes (or borrow tennis balls) via the front door. Access is for one person only at a time. Please sanitize your hands and then use your fob to open the front door, go into the bar area put your tokens in the relevant box on the right-hand side near the window. When you leave, please ensure the front door clicks behind you. Tokens can be bought from the committee members who are overseeing social tennis on Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons or from Chris Dent or Alexia King, our coaches, by arrangement, costing £2.50 for 30 minutes. Payment is in cash and where possible please bring the correct money.
Court Bookings
Everyone must book a court before making their way to the tennis club. All names of players must be put into the booking system not just the name of the person booking it. We must have this information to assist NHS Test and Trace if required. The court booking system is accessed via the link at the top of this page. This is accessible to all current paid members and is part of the ClubSpark system which we have used for membership renewals. You must book a court via the system to play.
All courts are currently available from from 9am to 9pm 7 days a week. The Club will be shut at 10pm every evening. If you are the last person on site please ensure the main gate is secured before you leave. You can book 4 x 1.5 hour slots every 7 days.
We ask family groups of more than 4 to book two courts next to each other (preferably 4 & 5 or 6 & 7) to help maintain social distancing whilst on court. If only one court is available, please ensure only 4 people are on court at any one time.
The restrictions on the number of courts in use, the number of slots you can book and the timings will all be reviewed by the Committee on an ongoing basis depending on demand and how social distancing is being managed.
We ask that you arrive promptly but not more than 5 minutes in advance of your booked time. You must finish 5 minutes early and leave the premises promptly to allow the court to be free when the next people arrive.
If you book a court and are unable to use it please cancel it on ClubSpark.
Visitors
Visitors are permitted. Please place the visitors fee in an envelope with your name and your visitor’s name on the outside of the envelope along with the date and the amount enclosed and place it in the external post box by the Clubhouse front door. Please ensure your visitors have read the guidance on this page before they come to play.
Visitor fees are £5 for adults and £1 for juniors.
Visitor names must be added in the court booking system so we can provide information to NHS Test and Trace if required.
Entering and leaving the courts and premises
Arriving at the Club
For those arriving on foot please check the driveway is clear of any other pedestrians (and cars!) before you proceed up the driveway. If anyone is walking down the drive when you arrive, please wait until they have exited the driveway before you walk up to avoid passing in close proximity to others.
The fob access gate must remain closed for security reasons. There is a sanitizing point by the gate, please apply it before pushing open the gate (please do not touch the sliding handle at all - the gate is secure enough when pushed shut and it clicks). Please close the gate behind you using the wooden handle provided and sanitize your hands before you leave.
Entering and leaving the courts
Players should head straight on to their court on arrival using the sanitizing stations at each court entrance. These should be used both on the way in and on the way out of the courts.
Gates to the courts must remain open at all times.
The nets have been adjusted to the correct height and winders and net measurers have been removed. Please do not touch any of the nets or fixtures on the courts. If you see a net that needs fixing or adjusting, please let Chris or another committee member know.
Players should observe social distancing at all times and resist the temptation to mingle. No more than 6 people should be on the patio area outside of the Clubhouse at any one time.
Leaving the Club
Please sanitize your hands before pushing the exit button to release the fob access gate and close it behind you, using the wooden handle provided. Please leave the car park promptly.
On Court
Gates to the courts must remain open at all times.
Singles and doubles play is now allowed, but you must not arrange to meet and mix with more than 6 people at a time. For doubles, agree with your partner who will take the balls down the middle of the court during play to avoid close contact (unless playing with members of your own household).
Players must provide their own racquets and equipment. Please mark your tennis balls so they are easily identified from those on an adjacent court. This is particularly important now that all courts are in use.
Players should ideally bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer with them and keep it in their pocket or bag for use, particularly when playing doubles or if you decide to share tennis balls.
Players should avoid touching their face after handling a ball, racquet, or other equipment. This is particularly important if you decide to share tennis balls with your partner/opponents. If a ball from another court comes across, players should send it back with a kick or with a racquet. Please do not pick it up.
Physical distancing should be observed throughout the period of play, particularly on change of ends and entering and exiting the court. Players should change ends at opposite sides of the net. Players must refrain from handshakes and high fives. Players should remain apart from other players when taking a break.
Players should not hang clothing items or towels on court pegs, on the net posts. Please put them in your bag when they are not needed.
Practice Wall
The practice wall may be used and does not need to be booked. Only 1 person may use it at a time unless you are from the same household. Please do not enter the practice court if someone else is already using it.
Coaching
Individual lessons are allowed and small groups of up to 12 adult players and 1 coach are allowed. Groups of up to 15 children per coach are also now allowed with adequate court space and subject to consideration for DfE Guidance.
Social distancing will still need to be maintained along with the usual hygiene measures during these sessions. Coaches will advise groups and individuals on handling of tennis balls in line with relevant guidance.
Coaches should be paid by bank transfer only to avoid handling cash.
Spectators
Parents supervising children should be limited to one. No other spectators are permitted.
First Aid
In emergencies the first aid box will be available for use by the side door underneath the defibrillator.
Cleaning
Daily cleaning of the fob entrance, gates, handles, first aid box and any other frequently used areas will take place. The toilet facilities are being cleaned twice per week.
Additional Information
More information on how to protect yourself against the virus, whether you need to self-isolate, test and trace, and the latest guidance from the LTA can be found in the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-safe-outside-your-home/
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works
https://www.lta.org.uk/coronavirus
Thank you for your support and understanding.