CORONAVIRUS/LTA GUIDELINES UPDATE

Tuesday 22 September

CORONAVIRUS REGULATIONS UPDATE TO ALL MEMBERS

Dear Members, Apologies for sending this general housekeeping message out during this very sad time at the club. I am writing to let you know about how the changes in restrictions as of today will affect the usage of the club. This may change in the near future with further government announcements and we will update you accordingly as soon as this happens. We are now able to enjoy more of the club’s facilities and I hope that you have been able to take advantage of this in recent weeks and will continue to do so. It is a while since the committee has communicated to the membership about the day to day protocols and I wanted to just clarify what the various bodies have set as guidelines and laws so that we all know where the club stands and the regulations for the use of the sports and clubhouse facilities. We have assessed the latest guidelines from the SRA, LTA and government and as a result have put together the following: Squash Based on latest guidance from England Squash it is possible now to play ‘normal’ squash within small defined bubbles:

a bubble can comprise a maximum of 6 players
- if you leave/change a bubble you must only play 'sides' for 7 days before joining a different bubble
you can play full court competitive squash for 40 minutes
- you should use normal scoring to 15 points and
- clean any sweat off surfaces after every 5 points
- rotate service every 5 points (so one person serves first 5 points etc)
please DO NOT deliberately wipe your hands on the walls to remove sweat
eyewear/goggles is advised but not mandated

When booking courts BOTH players must be named on MMM at the time of play for Track and Trace purposes. The following wider guidelines apply:

only 2 people on court
organised coaching is allowed.
- John Hatch is making suitable arrangement
no leagues or inter-club matches, etc
arrive changed and leave courts quickly
sanitise on arrival and departure
wipe down any areas on court where you have made contacts with surfaces - door handles, walls etc.
every alternate court session has been made unavailable to minimise overlap of players and contact as well as time for cleaning (departing players) and ventilation.
no guests please – booking system does not record names.
The water dispenser is still in use, but no cups are being provided. Bring your own cups or water bottles!

Tennis Informal group and independent social tennis is permitted - SUBJECT TO the Rule of 6 which is a legal requirement BUT - No mixing between groups.

Organised tennis activity for larger groups, including coached sessions, club nights and competitions is permitted by the Government as an exception to the limit of six, and so can continue, subject to following COVID-19 secure guidelines.
- Our interpretation is that this can include WhatsApp or similar organised groups where there is a clear record of attendance and of organisation.
- However, this too is subject to following COVID-19 secure guidelines.
Therefore, existing sessions such as the following can continue:
- Club social sessions on Monday morning, Tuesday evening, Thursday morning and Sunday afternoon
- Club open training session on Tuesday evening
- Team training on Thursday evenings
- Friday evening Junior night and other coaching provided by Nick and his team
- Mens’ doubles on Saturday mornings
- The Club tournaments

ALL players and visitors MUST register their attendance at the Club for Track&Trace. This is a legal requirement for the Bar and now for club members who visit. The club must have a record of all customers unless they are from the same household in which case only one contact is needed. This can be done easily by touching in on the entry fob reader at the main door (you do not have to enter the Clubhouse) as well as by identifying all players via the booking system. The latter to show who is playing where and not just the fact that they are in the Club. Apologies for any inconvenience if you are playing on the far courts and not using the clubhouse.
Coaches (Tennis and Squash) will be responsible for registers of those attending sessions. Parents etc delivering and collecting must respect the Rule of 6 and other guidelines if intending to remain at the Club during sessions. Where they are members (including social members) they should record attendance as above.
Could members also please remember to lock the gates to the courts after use if there is nobody on the court or following you onto them please?
For non members (i.e. parents/children, lifts) who come to the club we would encourage collection and drop off only within the car park. If you have a long wait please find a seat whilst waiting or remain in the car. We will try to create a waiting zone which allows people to distance whilst waiting however please ask non members to restrict movement around and within the club.

Clubhouse This is now available for changing rooms, toilets and squash courts only.

changing rooms will allow a maximum of 4 people at any time in either room (male and female
we strongly encourage people to arrive changed and ready to play, other than changing shoes for squash
we accept that some people will want to shower before leaving and/or use the bar
the staggered court times minimise the number of players at any given time
There will be a sanitiser inside by the front door to be used by all people when entering and leaving the clubhouse and outside the bar patio doors for those ordering and collecting drinks.
The bar will continue to be takeaway for external consumption during the good weather. We will provide a solution for inside the club within the next few weeks.

General

Some general notices will be placed on tables to remind people about the general do’s and don’ts
The final key principle is that the law now states that outside of your own household no more than 6 people can meet together and that groups cannot mix or mingle. Once in a group of six please stay within that group whilst at the club.

We are trying to keep the ambiance of the club as warm and welcoming as possible during this time and hope that everyone will respect the intention behind the guidelines. Hope to see you at the club soon. Kind regards Neil Grantham Chesham 1879 Club Chairman