We're back and are delighted that we are able to reopen the club on Saturday 1st August!!
Opening Hours & Bookings
Monday – Friday: 0600 – 2200
Saturday and Sunday: 0700 – 2200
The bar will be open from 0900 – 2130 daily serving drinks and snacks initially. We plan to serve a small grab and go menu from Monday 10th August.
We ask that you please wear a mask on entering and moving around the club, this mask can be removed whilst you are playing sport or using our gym facilities.
Any non-member in attendance must give their name and contact details by signing in at reception. These details will be stored securely for 21 days, after which they will be safely deleted.
The Northumberland Club is committed to ensuring the health and safety of its staff, members, and visitors. This commitment includes ensuring that all our facilities are COVID-19 secure and will remain COVID-19 secure following the reopening of our indoor facilities.
We will be following the guidance which have been set by the government and the national governing bodies of sport, namely Lawn Tennis Association, England Squash, Badminton England and UK Active.
We ask that you adhere to the relevant guidance to enable our return to sport to be as safe and as enjoyable as possible for everyone.
The links below will take you to the latest guidance for each sport and include some helpful information to demonstrate how the sport can be played safely and constructively despite some necessary modifications. Inevitably this guidance will change over the weeks and months ahead, we will communicate these changes as and when they happen.
We have put together a short summary of the guidance.
1) BOOKINGS – All facilities must be booked online, including use of the gym. There is no turn up and play option. To help us comply with the NHS Test and Trace system, please could you put down the name/s of who you are playing with.
2) BEFORE YOU PLAY - No-one should leave home to visit the Northumberland Club if they, or someone they live with, has symptoms of COVID -19, currently recognised as any of the following:
- A high temperature
- A new, continuous cough
- A loss of, or change to, their sense of smell or taste
Should an individual have demonstrated any such symptoms, they must follow current NHS and PHE guidance on self-isolation.
3) PROMPT START AND FINISH. Please arrive no earlier than five minutes before your booking time. Please finish on time to allow our staff to carry out necessary cleaning (and squash court airing) prior to the next booking.
4) HAND WASHING. Washing hands is one of the most effective measures to help combat COVID-19. Please wash your hands thoroughly before, during and after your booking. We have hand sanitising units stationed throughout the clubhouse, please use them.
5) CHANGING ROOMS & SHOWERS. Our changing rooms and showers will remain closed until further notice as we are not yet able to provide a suitable cleaning/hygiene regime as per government guidance. Please come changed and ready to play, unless playing squash or badminton in which case you should change shoes immediately outside the court . If you have a medical condition or disability which you feel necessitates the use of the changing facilities, please contact one of our duty managers who will make suitable arrangements.
MODIFICATIONS TO SPORT.
Tennis:
• Singles and doubles can be played with people from different households both indoors and outdoors if social distancing guidelines are adhered to.
• The Government has confirmed that club nights (club play) and competitions can now restart outdoors, provided that venues follow guidance to ensure that they are COVID-19 secure.
Squash and Racketball:
• Maximum of two players on a court.
• Only one person to touch the ball and court door. If unavoidable, sanitise hands immediately.
• Do not wipe your hands on the court walls.
• Individuals can practice solo play ensuring good hand hygiene before and after play.
• Members from the same household may play full regular squash game, ensuring good hand hygiene before and after play.
• Members form different households may play a modified game of squash, ensuring they maintain social distancing. The England Squash link demonstrates how this can be done safely.
Badminton:
• Both singles play and doubles play can now take place in groups of people from different households, as long as you remain 2 metres apart as far as possible – meaning that four people from different households can play doubles.
• Other than where players are from the same household or part of a support bubble, follow Government advice on staying alert and safe
• Stay at least two metres away from other players (including during play) as far as possible, when taking breaks and before and after play.
• Do not make physical contact with other players (such as shaking hands or high fiving).
• Avoid chasing the shuttle down towards another court if other players are using it.
• For doubles, consider agreeing in advance which player will take the shot if a shuttle travels to the centre of the court.
• Avoid changing ends.
• Avoid touching shuttles from other courts/groups.
• A maximum group size of 6 may be assembled so long as no more than four players are on court at one time. The other players should be at the back wall of the court. There may be more than one group of 6 in the hall at one time, but players from one group are not permitted to play with players from another group.
Gym:
• Gym capacity is a maximum of four gym users per 45 minute session (must be booked on-line).
• Gym users must always respect social distancing.
• Only equipment that is spaced far enough apart to maintain social distancing will be used. Some equipment will be marked as ‘out of use’ and must not be used.
• Users should not be working out face to face.
• Touch points of equipment must be cleaned after use by the user. It is the user’s personal responsibility to ensure that they have wiped down any surfaces that they have touched. Failure to do this may lead to a loss in booking rights for the gym. Sanitising equipment will be provided. This is in addition to our enhanced cleaning schedule.
Door will be kept open as much as possible to increase air circulation.