We're committed to making Hartlepool Tennis safe and enjoyable for all players.

We're especially keen to assure all visitors to the club that tennis is a great choice during the current climate. By its nature tennis is a no-contact sport and safe distances can be maintained at all times, however, we have put in place a series of rules to ensure the safety of all players. Not only do we provide hand sanitiser but we also have contactless booking (view our booking page) where you can reserve a court online. You are then issued a private PIN which limits access to the courts to only those who have booked. If you have any concerns or questions please message us. 

Now the serious bit...

CLUB ‘PLAY SAFE’ RULES

Please stay safe, consider the impact of your activity on others and follow these rules carefully. Please remember that all activity at the club is done at your own risk. 

The negative bit…

To ensure the safety of members and visitors, regular checks will be made. Even if some people believe the risks associated with Covid-19 are exaggerated, please be clear that the directors of the club take this crisis extremely seriously. These are rules and not merely guidelines. If it is felt certain individuals are not following these rules we will have no choice but to cancel their membership immediately. Fees will not be returned. If it is felt there is a collective disregard for these rules we will have no choice but to close our doors in the interests of safety. The following rules are written in a concise and straightforward way. This is done for clarity and to impress upon all players how important they are.

The positive bit…

These rules are in place to ensure your safety, the safety of others and to guarantee an enjoyable session for all. Have a great time visiting the club! 

SECTION 1: BEFORE & AFTER PLAY

STAY UP TO DATE

• Government information around social distancing must be followed.
• Strictly observe these club rules which are based on those developed by the LTA. Regardless of further easing by the government, the club will only lift further restrictions once it is happy that national and local rates of infection have improved. These rules will be reviewed by the club's directors every two weeks.

BEFORE LEAVING HOME AND AFTER YOU RETURN

• Self-isolate if you exhibit any symptoms. Stay away from the club for no less than 14 days. 
• Players must wash their hands before and after a tennis session without exception (or use hand sanitiser if washing hands is not possible).
• Players must bring their own hand sanitiser.
• Hand sanitiser will also soon be provided at the courts. A bottle will be placed next to our new outside storage box. To ensure the bottle remains at the club, it is very important you check it is there before you begin your session. If it is not there please contact Paul Asensio (hartlepooltennisclub@gmail.com). 
• From mid to late July the club will be installing sanitiser stations. These are automatic foam dispensing units and should be used when entering and exiting the venue.
• The clubhouse toilets are open to members only. Please clean toilets after use. Do not use the clubhouse for any other purpose. This means no changing, no use of the kitchen, no use of the bins and no use of any equipment. You must stay within the taped corridors. 

COURT BOOKINGS

• Do not simply turn up at the courts. Your PIN will not work without having first booked online. Your PIN will only work from the time your session begins.
• You must book sessions through the ‘website’ or ‘booker app’ first (details on the 'bookings' page of our website). This will enable us to track usage.
• Please use the Clubspark or LTA account you use for bookings. If you are unsure of which account or email you use please contact Paul Asensio (hartlepooltennisclub@gmail.com).
• Guests should pay online and directly into the club account. No guests should be invited to the club without payment.

EQUIPMENT

• Take hand sanitiser with you. 
• Take all your own equipment (do not share equipment such as raquets, grips, hats and towels). 
• Only take the minimum amount of equipment with you that you need to play. 
• Clean and wipe down your equipment, including racquets and water bottles before and after use.
• Bring a full water bottle, and do not share food or drink with others. 
• Bring your own tennis balls that are clearly marked (eg. with your initials). Mark balls twice at 180 degrees.
• Ensure you take all your belongings with you at the end of the session and do not leave anything on court.
• We have a new outside storage box which includes a first aid kit. The box is locked with a coded padlock. If you require access please contact Paul Asensio – 07403269307.

TRAVELLING TO AND FROM THE VENUE

• Avoid using public transport. 
• Arrive as close as possible to the start of your session. 
• Avoid touching court gates, fences, benches, etc. as much as possible.
• Allow others to leave before you enter the court. If you need to wait then do so away from the courts and clear of the gates.
• Do not cross others on the path between the clubhouse and front gate. Allow others to use the path before using it yourself.
• If your court is an odd number please arrive on the hour and leave ten minutes to the hour, allowing others to leave safely too. If your court is an even number please arrive five minutes past the hour and leave five minutes to the hour, again allowing others to leave safely. This will allow time for players to leave before the next set of players arrive. Do not “just play this final point”. Communicate (at a distance) with others at the venue to ensure collective regress is staggered.
• Arrive changed and ready to play. Shower at home as you will not be able to use the venue’s changing area.
• Do not congregate after playing. No extra-curricular or social activity should take place.

SECTION 2: DURING PLAY

COURT LIMITS

• Both singles play and doubles play is permitted with people from outside of your household, as long as you remain 2 metres apart as far as possible – meaning that four people from different households can play doubles.
• Coached sessions are limited to groups of no more than 6 people (including the coach). Contact Carlos on 07966370527 or email coaching@caldeiratennis.co.uk.

MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING

• Stay at least two metres (six feet) away from other players at all times (including during play, when taking breaks and before and after play).
• Do not make physical contact with other players (such as shaking hands, elbow bumps or high fives).
• Stay on your side of the court and avoid changing ends, or agree to change ends at opposite sides of the net.
• Do not play on any courts which aren't bookable and have their nets lowered. Please pay for floodlights online. The token machine is in the clubhouse and inaccessible.

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

• Use your own clearly marked tennis balls. Mark balls twice at 180 degrees.
• Do not use your hands to pick up tennis balls that aren’t yours unless you are wearing gloves - use your racquet/foot to hit/kick them back to your opponent.
• You can also use the same method to serve without touching the ball.
• Do not use the picnic bench or memorial bench. Do not sit on walls. 
• Net winders have been removed and nets have been set at the correct height. Do not attempt to change the heights of nets.

HYGIENE

• If you need to sneeze or cough, do so into a tissue or upper sleeve. 
• Avoid touching your face.
• Dispose of tissues, wipes, gloves, masks and towels safely in your own bags.

SOCIAL SESSIONS

• All formal and informal social sessions are banned until further notice. There should be no court hopping.

SECTION 3: GENERAL COURT BOOKING T&Cs

BOOKING TIMES

• Courts are generally available for booking from 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week, all year round.
• Coaching/social/match and special event sessions take precedence.
• The time of the last court booking on non-floodlit courts (3, 4 & 5) varies throughout the year according to daylight times. The last floodlit court (1 & 2) booking is 9pm to 10pm throughout the year.

MEMBERS AND PAY-AND-PLAY VISITORS

• Bookings need to be made via the club website. (https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/HartlepoolLawnTennisClub/Bookings) or the ClubSpark Booker app available free on both IOS and Android.
• Members can book courts up to 14 days in advance online.
• If a court booking is made at the members’ rate then all players on court must all be members otherwise the booking must be made at the Pay-and-Play visitors’ rate.
• Pay-and-play visitors can book courts up to 7 days in advance online.
• Each booking has a maximum of 3 court hours per day.
• Members/visitors may not book more than one separate court for the same hour.
• Players may only use the booked court, no other courts are to be used.
• Attendance later than 15 minutes after the hour may result in the booking being passed to another player.
• Court bookings should be made in the name of a member/visitor who will be on the court.
• Players may be asked to leave the court if the named member/visitor who made the booking is not present.
• Courts fees once booked cannot be refunded.
• If a court is unplayable due to weather conditions (fog, snow etc), the club should be informed by email within 24 hours. A court can then be re-booked at a future time convenient to the member/visitor within 28 days of the original booking. This should be organised with a director and NOT done online.
• Requests to cancel courts that have been booked should be made by email no less than 48 hours before the court original booking time. Credit will then be given for an equivalent booking within the following 28 days. Court cancellations within 48 hours of a booking will not be allowed. The new session should be organised with a director and NOT done online.
• Courts must be vacated before the hour (regardless of match score) if the subsequent hour has been pre-booked.
• The full hourly fee applies to any play that continues for longer than 5 minutes after the booked hour assuming that the court is still free.
• Winter Floodlight members can only book courts 1 & 2 displayed at the winter floodlight rates
• All players must wear appropriate sports kit and non-ridged sports shoes

Hartlepool Tennis Club accepts no responsibility for the loss, theft or damage to personal possessions during a court booking.

Hartlepool Tennis Club reserves the right to alter the terms and conditions without notice.

Hartlepool Tennis Club reserves the right to move/re-schedule/cancel bookings as necessary.

Players play on court at their own risk.

Thank you for your cooperation. 

Paul Asensio

Chair of Directors

For and on behalf of the Directors of Hartlepool Lawn Tennis Club Ltd