Looking back, it's sometimes hard to remember how difficult (and at times dangerous) access to our courts was - and how risky it was to walk from a muddy winter parking area, past "puddle corner" and along the grass to the path to court 1... here's a reminder!

After projects in 2023 to relay the path from the clubhouse to the gate to court 1 and a new gravel drive and turning area for walkers to use, unfortunately puddle corner remained a problem.

Winter 2024 saw remedial work to improve the corner, although this was only intended to be a medium term solution...

At the start of 2025, work commenced to plan replacement of the crumbling tarmac driveway, which had become mostly a mud path halfway along. No one at the club, nor at Sonning Parish Council could recall laying of that original drive, which leaves us guessing that it was older than the 1970s - but was clearly in urgent need of renewal. Plans were drawn up and agreed with help from Sonning Parish Council, along with funding proposals with SPC and the Sonning Fire Brigades Trust making significant contributions to enable the overall ~£25,000 project to proceed. 

September and October 2025 saw the project completed, with a new tarmac driveway laid by D H Bond Civil Engineering Contractors Ltd, along with a ramp suitable for wheelchair access to a new gate into courts 2 & 3 for safer access from the new drive. 

The new drive plan includes, space for cars to park adjacent to the neighbouring fence with another car able to pass to the gravel turning area, new gravel siding between the drive and the courts, ramp access to the new gate into court 2/3, gravelled area beside the path with parking for 2-3 additional cars, repairs to the gate post.

Follow up projects will include ground reinforcement grid embedded in the topsoil beside the new drive (to enable parking on that area without the mud collapsing) and potential more parking grids in the grass at the end of the drive.

Huge thanks to all of the major contributors to the project, including David Beilby (who project managed the solution), D H Bond Civil Engineering Contractors Ltd, Sonning Parish Council (whose support of SLTC is invaluable), Sonning Fire Brigades Trust for their kind contribution, our neighbours at South Hill (who worked with us throughout the implementation) and to all our neighbours and fellow park users for the inconvenience during the work - we hope you agree it was worth it!

See below our progress pictures as the project evolved.