Blackheath Squash Club - return to play from 3 December

Club re-opening

The Government have announced the new tiers which apply from 3 December. London is in Tier 2 which prohibits mixing of different households indoors. However, under guidance issued by England Squash (ES) yesterday the Club can re-open from Wednesday 3 December with restricted play and all the usual COVID-19 safeguards. Taking into account the ES guidance and what the Club can manage safely the Club Committee have agreed the following restricted play can take place from 3 December:
• Single player - solo practice
• Same household or support bubble – full squash
• One to one coaching with adults using socially distanced practices

All COVID-19 safety requirements remain in place. Full member COVID-19 guidance can be found on the Club website at https://www.blackheathsquashclub.com/reopening-guidance-for-members

Unfortunately, full squash in squash bubbles is not allowed under Tier 2 ES guidance so the box league bubbles and social bubbles remain suspended for the time being. The only full squash play allowed at the Club is for members of the same household or support bubble. We are now recognising support bubbles, which is a change from our previous practice before the November lockdown. Please see below for more information on support bubbles.

Support bubbles

The Club will now recognise Support Bubbles so if a member is in a Support Bubble with another member's household they can regarded as being in the same household for the purposes of playing squash at the Club. If you wish to use a Support Bubble with another Club member for playing squash at the Club please notify Kevin Clark at kevin.clark100@ntlworld.com.

Support Bubbles are not the same as squash bubbles. A summary of Government guidance for Support Bubbles is given below, full guidance can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/making-a-support-bubble-with-another-household
• A support bubble is a close support network between a household with only one adult or a household with one adult and one or more people who were under the age of 18 on 12 June 2020 in the home (known as a single-adult household) and one other household of any size.
• You can only be in one support bubble.
• Once you make a support bubble, you cannot change who is in your bubble.
• From 14 September, if you form or continue in a support bubble, you cannot then change your support bubble.

Court schedules/booking

We have made some changes to the court booking schedule. Both courts will be open for play. Start times are staggered on the hour and half hour to reduce congestion on changeover. Court booking slots are hourly however members must only play for 40 minutes. The remaining 20 minutes of the booking slot allows for 5 minutes court cleaning, after which members must leave the Club building. The remaining 15 minutes are for air clearance before the next booking. Members should make every effort to start on time and MUST finish play after 40 minutes. Court fee is £6 and payable on-line when booking a court. This fee is the same as paying for 40 minutes of play under the previous light token system.

If you have any questions regarding the above please contact Kevin Clark by replying to this e-mail.

Blackheath Squash Club Committee