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UK Court Watch
Courts come and courts go - keeping an eye out for good and bad news
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TynemouthSquash.com
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 22
Feb 2010:
New courts at Tynemouth
Steve Cubbins reports
Not 'new' in the sense of there being more courts than there used to
be, but very much 'renewed'.
 Like
many longstanding clubs in the UK and around the world, Tynemouth
Squash Club, in England's North East, had learned to live with its
courts, although an independent observer would have noted that the
floors were dark and somewhat shiny, the lights were much dimmer
than they used to be, and the walls were badly marked with many
rough patches and cracks. But when you play on them every week you
tend not to notice the decline.
 A
year ago the club suffered a fire in the men's changing rooms, and
although it took longer than expected to sort out the insurance
claim, that turned out to be the spark for getting the whole club
refurbished.
Once the changing rooms had been done (more roomy now, without the
sauna that had caused the fire) the committee and members set about
redecorating the upstairs bar which overlooks three of the courts.
That showed up what poor condition the courts themselves were in, so
the committee started investigating options for renovating what is,
after all, the most important part of any squash club.
 With
financial assistance from the SITA trust, England Squash
and Racketball, and of course the club and its members, a plan
was devised to completely replace the main components of all five
courts - the walls, the floors and the lights.
The lights were replaced first, then on 25th Jan the club closed as
the contractors came in to strip the courts bare.
The bar remained open, with table-tennis, pool and table football
facilities to keep the members occupied, some of whom took advantage
of the offer of off-peak usage at several local clubs to keep their
hand in at squash.
 The
plan was to reopen on Mon 22nd Feb, but the work went well, and the
courts were opened for play on Friday 19th much to the delight of
the squash-starved members.
And what a difference - pure white walls, clean, grippy, springy
floors, brand new lights ... it's like emerging from the dark ages,
literally!
 The
heating controls have been replaced too (although Tynemouth is famed
for warm courts and will stay that way) and there are even
synchronised electronic clocks to put an end to any disputes on when
court sessions end.
All in all the refurbishment was an £80,000 project with the final
court phase taking £60,000 of that.
Ask any of the members though, and you'll only get one answer ...
money well spent.
More photos and club
info on
www.tynemouthsquash.com |
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 16-Sep-09:
Squash set to
expand at Surrey
Sports Park ...
Surrey Sports Park has confirmed its commitment to squash with the
appointment of Graeme Williams as the new coach for the new
Sports Park and the University of Surrey.
Graeme, a level 3 qualified coach, represented the North of England
at junior level whilst at senior level he has played the BSPA tour
events in 2001/02. More recently Graeme secured the National Doubles
Racketball title in 2005, 2006 and 2008. He is currently one of
eight Regional England Squash and Racketball Development Coaches,
with a remit to develop the elite junior players in London and the
South East.
The Surrey Sports Park has identified several sports which will be
used to showcase the magnificent new facility and squash is one of
these sports.
Six new state-of-the-art glass backed squash courts are being built,
with two show courts for 160 spectators. The University
currently runs one of the 12 national Premier Squash League (PSL)
teams with two male teams and one female student team that compete
in the British University and College Sports (BUCS) League.
"This is a really exciting challenge
and a magnificent opportunity for the Surrey Sports Park to become
one of the key centres for the sport of squash in this country.
"Squash is a sport that should attract more student participation
and that will be a top priority for me, as well as taking advantage
of the fact that we run one of the 12 PSL teams in England."
The multi-million pound Surrey
Sports Park, which is owned by the University of Surrey, is due to
open early in 2010 and will be one of the premier training
facilities ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.
Williams will have a wide remit in his new role, which will include
a complete overhaul of the current squash programme. Specific roles
will include managing the University's PSL team, coaching and
developing the junior and adult squash programme, coaching and
developing the student squash team, developing links with England
Squash and Racketball at all levels, increasing student
participation in squash and racketball, as well as attracting
leading student squash players to the University.
"Squash will be one of
the Surrey Sports Park's showcase sports and as such we need the
very best people within the sport to take full advantage of the
facilities and opportunities we will have available to us. Graeme
has all the necessary skills and attributes to help make the Surrey
Sports Park's name synonymous with squash".
"We have had an exciting couple of months what with the partnership
with Guildford Swimming Club which will open up new opportunities
for swimmers of all ages and abilities in the area, and the recent
affiliation with netball Superleague team, Surrey Storm.
"We have the ambition to build a world class Sports Park and further
announcements over the ensuing months will confirm this."
SSP Managing Director
The Surrey Sports Park has already
been registered as a suitable training venue for the Olympic and
Paralympic Games in 2012, as well as catering for elite athletes it
will also provide the best and most up to date sport and facilities
for anyone interested in sport and fitness. |
The Surrey Sports Park
is due to open early in 2010 and will house some of the most up to
date sports facilities in the country, as well as Surrey’s first 50
metre pool, there will be glass backed squash courts with 2 show
courts for 180 spectators, eight outdoor floodlit tennis courts, two
new floodlit artificial grass pitches including one 3rd generation,
a 120 station health and fitness suite and a 12m high Climbing
Centre with unique bouldering facility.
The 250 seat Starbucks Coffee House will be the first Starbucks in
Europe to be housed within a multi-sports facility.
Not only will the Surrey Sports Park facilitate able bodied sporting
excellence, it will also provide first rate facilities and access
for disabled athletes and selection as an official training venue
for the Paralympic Games in 2012 has emphasised its top rate
provision for disability sport.
surreysportspark.co.uk
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The site before building work started
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Sep 2009:
They employed former world number 53
Alex Stait as head coach on a
full time basis just over a year ago and have big plans for squash
development.
Squash
is really on the rise at Bowdon squash club in Cheshire.
