Rules & Regulations

All Members are asked to abide by the Club Rules, the Child Protection and Health & Safety Policies.

The Club is a not-for-profit Unincorporated Community Amateur Sports Club; run in line with our Club’s Constitution and the LTA’s and community objectives (copy of constitution and all policies are available from the Secretary).

Playing at the Club: Members must treat the court with respect and must leave them tidy and in good order. Note:- to increase the life of the nets, please lower after use.

• Noise should be minimised to avoid nuisance to neighbouring property.
• Members are responsible for ensuring that the courts are locked when they leave them.
• Only non-marking, non-ridged tennis shoes are allowed on the courts. Trainers or other inappropriate shoes are not allowed as these will quickly damage the court surface, as well as possibly cause injury to the wearer. Players will be asked to leave the court if they are not wearing appropriate shoes.
• Players should wear clothing suitable for sport/tennis.
• Members can play at any time except when the court has been booked for club sessions/coaching, special events, or by another club member prior booking.
• Any visiting, friends, family and guests who are not members are expected to pay a visitor’s fee, alternatively can become Affiliate Members.
• Club tennis balls will only be used for club sessions and coaching sessions. Otherwise players must provide their own balls. Balls can be purchased from the committee at competitive rates.

• Court Etiquette:  Players are asked to vacate the court promptly if other members have booked and arrive to play.
• Players are asked to avoid disturbing players on court during play e.g. by walking across the back of their court or conducting noisy conversations on court or nearby.
• If you are an experienced adult or older junior please try to offer younger or less experienced players the chance to have a hit with you if they are waiting for a game.
• Court Availability: Club sessions are held on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 pm onwards (summer time only) and Sunday Mornings all year round 10:00am to 1:00pm.Also Thursday evenings from 4pm is reserved for all juniors.
• Courts will be made available for regular club coaching and cardio fitness sessions for adults and juniors and will be booked on the booking system (currently Saturdays from 10 am up to 3 pm).
• At all other times, the courts are available to club members and their visitors, but to ensure availability; bookings should be made through the relevant system in use at the time. Members with bookings will take precedence.
• Court Bookings for Members:  Members should book courts via the online Court Bookings system. Bookings will be on a first-come-first-serve basis, between 7 and 1 day in advance (i.e. book on Tuesday for the following Tuesday).
• Members can book courts in blocks of 1 hour on the hour, for a maximum of 2 hours, at any time when the courts are not reserved, up to 5 times a week.
• Matches, tournaments and special events will be marked on the court bookings system as far in advance as possible.
• If a member has booked a court but has not turned up to play within 15 minutes after the court booking time started, then the court becomes free, the booking is lost and other members can play on the court.
• To ensure members have the maximum opportunity to use the courts, members are asked to try to cancel their entry if they know they cannot play. Please do not book courts unless you are fully intending to play.
• Courts for private coaching sessions will be booked in the same way as other members make court bookings,
• Members may play on the courts without booking but they must leave the courts immediately if anyone who has made a booking comes to play, or after one hour if any other member is waiting to play.
• Children aged up to 12 years many not play without adult supervision. Adults (18+) have priority on the courts after 6pm and on weekend bookings.
• Code Lock: All members will receive a 6 digit gate lock code on receipt of their membership payment. If however we find the code is being given out or misused we will change and email all members. Members are responsible for locking the courts after use.
• Visitors & Non-Members’ Play: Visitors must be accompanied by a Member and are welcome to play up to 4 times per year, after which it is hoped they will consider joining the club:
• Visitor’s fees:  £6 per court for up to 2 hours.
• Members are responsible for collecting the Visitor’s fee and passing to the Treasurer, who will enter their name in the Visitor’s Book. Alternatively payment can be made online by Bank transfer.
• Members are responsible for Visitor’s behaviour while on court.
• Periodically, free taster sessions for residents and juniors will be advertised.
• Members are encouraged to introduce new players by inviting them free of charge to any club session (evening or weekend) for a period of one month to see if they like the club after which time they must join or cease playing.

MEMBERSHIP & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Membership of the club commences on April 1st and is renewable on this date each year .The membership categories are as the Membership section on the web site.

General:

• Please help publicise the club – the majority of new members join clubs through word-of-mouth recommendations and it is really useful if members can publicise their club.
• All members aged 9 and over, who are registered with British Tennis (LTA), are eligible to be entered for the ballot for Wimbledon tickets, but must register their interest with the LTA every year.
• Please put forward your views and ideas on a regular basis to ensure the club continues to work well for members and the community. Members can put forward their concerns or suggestions in a number of ways, including: talking to, or emailing one of the club’s committee members; raising points at/before the AGM meeting.
• All members are expected to support Social events and help with Fund raising, we are a Community club not just a Tennis court provider.

Acceptance and Infringement of Rules:

• Any infringement of the rules could, at the discretion of the committee, lead to expulsion from the Club without refund of membership fees. Anyone found damaging the courts will face immediate expulsion from the Club.
• Any member subject to such disciplinary actions, have the right to call a Special G M to vote on the issue.
• It is a condition of membership that Members agree to abide by all of the  club’s rules and policies
• Financial Year:  Except for the purposes of subscriptions, the Club's financial year shall run from 1st November to 31st October and the accounts submitted to the AGM shall be prepared accordingly.