Kinnoull Tennis Club

As we enter the Festive period the Committee would like to provide you with the following update regarding the recent developments at the Club as well as proposed further actions:

New Courts - For those of you who have managed to use the new courts in the last couple of weeks you will have seen the improvement in the surface following re-brushing. The more tennis played on the courts will help the sand to settle and, during daylight, it would help if Court 4 could be used more often as it needs some more activity on it to help the sand settle. You may have seen some local press coverage of the new courts which was well received; we intend to do a feature on the Club as part of our re-launch in March next year when we hope to hold an event to officially open the new courts.

New Lights - Some of you will have noticed that when you switch on the lights at night, they switch on out of sequence; this will be rectified w/c 6th January by the team that installed them. The good news is that the lights on all four courts work properly and the feedback we have had from members has been extremely positive with regards to light quality.

New Access Path - We have had our planning application approved by Perth & Kinross Council and, weather permitting, work will start at the end of January to construct the new access path from Dupplin Road to the Clubhouse; this will allow disabled access to the Clubhouse as well as to the courts. This item was included in our original project and means, for the first time, full access to the Clubhouse for those with a disability, which is great news. 

New Signage - Early next year we will be installing additional new signage to recognise the Trusts and suppliers who have supported us in the building of the new courts. The new signs will be provided by “Signs and Designs” who are based locally in Bridgend. 

Clubhouse Interior Refresh - The Committee thinks that some money should be invested in a refresh of the inside of the Clubhouse. It is hoped that some of the members could get together to discuss and agree what is needed to make the Clubhouse more welcoming and to ensure the facilities are in line with what people would like eg the option of enjoying a coffee or soft drink before and/or after playing tennis. The new path will provide disabled access to the Clubhouse via the patio double doors, so the current layout needs to be reviewed. 

New Club Sponsors - Part of the re-launch next year will be to look to attract several local companies to sponsor the tennis club for a fixed period of 5 years. This is a natural progression for us as we look to create funds which can be invested in coaching and supporting the talent we have within our membership. This is a key component of trying to grow our membership: joining the Club is the first step but what happens thereafter is more important as we aim to keep people playing for years to come; in the current financial climate anything we can do to enable people to play tennis at our Club should be considered. 

Financial Position - On the financial side the Club has now paid for all the work that has taken place in 2024, with the sole exception of the new access path. The money for this work is in our account and, once this work is completed, the Club will enter the new season with no debt. This is down to the fact that the money the Club has raised over the last 14 years through membership subscriptions and the £66,000 of support we received from local Trusts. This is an excellent position to be in and means that, in 2025, we can put all our time and effort into growing our membership, continue to develop the performance of all the teams, and ensure that, when people join the Club, we do what we can to support their introduction to tennis and make them feel welcome. 

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This year has seen considerable change within the Club, with new Committee members, the New Court Project and the improved performance of our teams in the competitive leagues. The support we have had from our members is greatly appreciated and we now have an opportunity for us all to prepare for taking the Club forward in 2025 with the new facilities and a secure financial position.

The Committee is extremely grateful for your input, support and patience in what has been a busy year for the Club.

Have a fantastic Christmas and New Year, and we look forward to seeing you on the courts in 2025!