TO ALL CURRENT SQUASH & GYM MEMBERS
We are all sorry to see that Club Fitness has closed and I am sure you would all join me in thanking Chris, Paula & Sean for their efforts on our behalf over the past 9 months.
WRUFC has decided to continue to provide squash facilities which will be run as a members club, administered by a squash section committee on behalf of the club. As the closure of club fitness has happened very suddenly an interim committee from the existing squash membership has been formed comprising Rob McGregor, Dan Scott, Barry Simpson, Steve Daly, John Mckeown and Alan Price. Our role is to get the squash courts open again as quickly as possible and to liaise with the main committee on all matters regarding membership & facilities. When the club has been running for a few months we will call an AGM of the new squash membership and a formal committee can be elected.
It was announced last week that club fitness would close at the end of April, and in that time two meetings have been held and a significant amount of progress has been made. WRUFC genuinely want to keep the squash section and will work with us to make a successful squash club.
There are still many details to be finalised but what has been agreed to date is as follows;

1. The club will re-open for squash on Tuesday 4th May.
2. Opening hours will be 4pm to 10pm (court booking times 4.20pm to 9pm) Monday to Friday, and 2pm to 8pm Saturday & Sunday.
3. Access will be via the current entrance or through the main club. Between 4pm and 7pm there is no access to the main club. This will probably change to some sort of FOB or key card system once we are established.
4. The existing changing rooms and showers will be available. The cleaning and maintenance will simply be added to the current WRUFC cleaning contract.
5. Courts may be booked up to two weeks in advance as presently. Courts will be booked by placing a “sticker” on the relevant court time on the court booking sheets. Again, when we are established we can consider a more sophisticated booking system if required.
6. The court times will remain at 40 minutes per session and as usual start and finish times are governed by the actual time and not the meter.
7. Lights and heaters will be on a metered system.
8. Court fees are currently £2’s per session. This will remain unchanged but the breakdown will be different with “booking stickers” costing £1 and the meters being set to 50 pence for 20 minutes.
9. The court heaters have been removed by Club Fitness. As the summer is approaching this is not critical and it is intended to have new heaters in place as soon as possible but by the beginning of September at the latest. Quotes are currently being obtained for either renewing or refurbishing and servicing the existing heaters, repairing and painting the court walls where necessary.
10. Team squash will continue. The number of teams and the playing league’s will be somewhat dependant on the number and standard of team players. Last season we had three teams playing in divisions 3, 4 and 5 so we have scope to do whatever we wish.
11. Membership fees will be reduced to £12 per month or £130 per annum. As there has been so much disruption and initially there will be no court heaters , we have some good news in that members can play for free for the month of May. Court booking sheets will be posted in the bar area from Monday 26th April and members can simply write their name on the sheet to reserve a court. The two week in advance rule will still apply and we trust members will book courts responsibly and not simply book courts which are then unused. We have not decided how best to collect subscriptions yet but it is likely to be by direct debit.
12. There is no minimum membership period so you have nothing to lose by joining in May. Membership forms will be available behind the bar and also in the court area on club nights.
13. Club nights will continue to be held on Thursday with Court 1 reserved for 6.20, 7.00 and 7.40, with court 2 for 7.00 and 7.40. We would welcome all members to these nights, especially on the 6th May where all committee members will be available and it can be a forum to discuss progress and any matters of concern to members.
14. Junior membership is free to under 16’s who have a parent or guardian who is a member. However, they must be accompanied by a supervising adult when playing.
15. As a members club the courts are not available to the general public, however members may invite a guest to play. There will be a guest fee of £3.00 and an honesty box will be fixed near the courts to collect the fee.
16. Over the coming months we will draw up a budget for court improvements. The court walls and ceilings have been somewhat neglected for many years and are in need of repair. As a members club we have no wages to pay. Obviously WRUFC will want to cover the running costs as much as possible but they do realise ther is some work to be done and we will present our case accordingly.
This is our first newsletter and its main purpose is to let you know that squash will continue at the Wid’s, membership costs will not go up, and the squash facilities will be maintained and hopefully improved.
We look forward to seeing you all again soon.
On Behalf of WRUFC Squash Section
Alan Price
07775 584984