The history of Hereford Squash Tennis & Racketball Centre!

Lawn Tennis and Croquet

Hereford Whitecross Club was established in May 1902 as the Hereford Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club although croquet did not restart after WW1.

The beginnings of squash

Squash began in the city in 1933 when a wooden court was built at the Horse & Groom public house in Eign Street at the bottom of Whitecross Road before transferring to the Three Counties Hotel at the top of Aylestone Hill in 1948, then it moved to Sollars Close in 1955.

The move to Whitecross

In 1962 the Hereford Squash Rackets Club was awarded a grant of nearly £3000 towards the construction of two new courts at the Whitecross Tennis Club. In 1965 the squash and tennis clubs merged and in 1968 became known as the Hereford Whitecross Club

Developments at Whitecross

Further changes came in 1979, when a skittle alley, lounge and additional squash courts were built including a viewing gallery which enabled spectators to view games on all 5 courts. During the 1990’s seven tennis courts were re-aligned and reconstructed with an all weather surface, (rather than grass) to comply with LTA competition standards. Floodlighting was erected on four courts enabling a flood light league to compete with teams from around the county, and members to play in the winter months until 10pm.

Two Padel Courts were added in July 2023 replacing the top tennis courts.

A new name

In 2015 it was agreed to rebrand the club; Hereford Squash Tennis and Racketball Centre was agreed as the new name. However it does remain as a members club and the Management Committee are volunteers voted in to office at the Annual General Meeting held in March.