‘We’re pushed out by squash court revamp’

12:00pm Thursday 13th September 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Tom Jennings, covering Witney and West Oxfordshire. Call me on 01865 425403

Squash club members Julie Peachey, Bethany Davies, Amanda Davies, Rhys Davies, Stuart Davies and Len Lloyd Squash club members Julie Peachey, Bethany Davies, Amanda Davies, Rhys Davies, Stuart Davies and Len Lloyd

SQUASH players in Witney have hit out at leisure centre plans to close courts as part of a £350,000 gym expansion.

And a similar plan at an Oxford centre will be reviewed after players complained.

GLL Nexus, which runs Witney’s Windrush Leisure Centre on behalf of West Oxfordshire District Council , plans to cut the number of courts from five to three.

The company plans to refurbish the remaining courts and said the number of bookings showed three courts could meet demand.

But squash players said four courts were needed to host competitions at the centre and the decision could damage the game.

Len Lloyd, who regularly uses the squash courts, said: “This is going to be totally destructive to the squash scene in West Oxfordshire.

“There is a lot of squash coaching that goes on at the Windrush and quite a lot of players get to a very high ranking in English squash.”

Squash player Janet Buckle, of Standlake, said: “It is very short sighted, especially as squash is likely to be an Olympic sport in 2020.”

GLL commercial director (regional) Steve Hercus said: “It is very rare that all five of our squash courts at the Windrush Leisure Centre are in use and if we can offer three high quality squash courts, players will be able to access squash at the time they would like for the majority of the time.”

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Meanwhile, Oxford City Council will look again at plans to convert one of three squash courts at Ferry Sports Centre in Summertown into a spinning studio and soft play area. A new scheme is expected within eight to 10 weeks. Councillor Van Coulter, executive board member for leisure services, said: “The remit given to officers is to look at the provision of extra facilities whilst trying to retain all three squash courts.”

David Quinn, of Woodstock Road, said: “This council can provide excellent leisure and sports facilities for all the city’s residents and should discontinue this policy of attacking soft targets.”

Comments (10)

12:18pm Thu 13 Sep 12

WitneyGreen says...

Well, I've lived in West Oxfordshire for many years and I never knew there was a 'squash scene'. You learn something new every day...
Well, I've lived in West Oxfordshire for many years and I never knew there was a 'squash scene'. You learn something new every day... WitneyGreen

12:58pm Thu 13 Sep 12

T? says...

Everytime I used to book to go and play Squash after work it was always fully booked up, and had to book weeks in advance, this was about two years ago, and would be surprised if there has been that big a down turn in the use! perhaps management have only looked at how busy it is in the day time (when most people are at work!)
Everytime I used to book to go and play Squash after work it was always fully booked up, and had to book weeks in advance, this was about two years ago, and would be surprised if there has been that big a down turn in the use! perhaps management have only looked at how busy it is in the day time (when most people are at work!) T?

2:18pm Thu 13 Sep 12

chuck43wit says...

the gym need expanding! end off. businesses need to meet demand and there is obviously more demand for gym than squash. Get over it.
the gym need expanding! end off. businesses need to meet demand and there is obviously more demand for gym than squash. Get over it. chuck43wit

2:51pm Thu 13 Sep 12

ronnyh says...

You struggle to book a court between 17.00 and 21.00 five nights a week. The courts are also used for table tennis and often have the kids bouncy castle in one. So much for the "legacy" of investing in Sport. The Gym is easy money, get people on direct debit and they hardly go!! Really is a raw deal for a large number of center users some 80 or so who are in the Center's own Internal Squash League. To just railroad it through without any consultation is very poor. Nexus are not run as a business but a non for refit management company as I understand it? Hence most of the District's centres being handed over to them. WODC should at least demand an impartial review of the usage and demand for the Gym. The ground floor easy line gym is hardly what one would call "over subscribed"!?
You struggle to book a court between 17.00 and 21.00 five nights a week. The courts are also used for table tennis and often have the kids bouncy castle in one. So much for the "legacy" of investing in Sport. The Gym is easy money, get people on direct debit and they hardly go!! Really is a raw deal for a large number of center users some 80 or so who are in the Center's own Internal Squash League. To just railroad it through without any consultation is very poor. Nexus are not run as a business but a non for refit management company as I understand it? Hence most of the District's centres being handed over to them. WODC should at least demand an impartial review of the usage and demand for the Gym. The ground floor easy line gym is hardly what one would call "over subscribed"!? ronnyh

2:54pm Thu 13 Sep 12

ronnyh says...

WODC should at least demand an impartial review on this. The courts are booked up 17.00 -21.00 five nights a week and a lot over the weekend. The "Easyline gym" is hardly what one would call over subscribed. So much for the "Legacy" of this years Olympics, a proper raquet sport being pushed out for the easy money of direct debit gym membership!!
WODC should at least demand an impartial review on this. The courts are booked up 17.00 -21.00 five nights a week and a lot over the weekend. The "Easyline gym" is hardly what one would call over subscribed. So much for the "Legacy" of this years Olympics, a proper raquet sport being pushed out for the easy money of direct debit gym membership!! ronnyh

2:55pm Thu 13 Sep 12

ronnyh says...

sorry first post didn't show up!!
sorry first post didn't show up!! ronnyh

5:55pm Thu 13 Sep 12

mike4753 says...

WitneyGreen wrote:
Well, I've lived in West Oxfordshire for many years and I never knew there was a 'squash scene'. You learn something new every day...
Where have you been?
Witney has been in the forefront of Oxfordshire Squash and particularly junior squash for over 15 years with many players representing the County at both Junior and Senior level and a couple have actually represented England. There has been a thriving junior club for many years with coaching every saturday and a number of coaching classes run by the leisure centre on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.There is a ladies morning on Mondays and the Adult club currently have two mens and one ladies team playing each week in the Oxfordshire Leagues.Telecom also have a mens team again playing each week. There is also a thriving mini league run by the Leisure Centre involving up 80 players
With a reduction in courts from 5 to 3 there will be little time for public use in the evenings which will lead to the demise of squash in Witney.
Witney is one of only 3 clubs in Oxfordshire with 4 or more courts and hence can and has been used for National and local Tournaments at both junior and senior level.
All this will go if 2 courts are lost all for the sake of a fast buck!!! If you talk to the other gyms in Witney they will all say they have vacancies for Gym membership so why do we need more.
At a time when we are coming down from Olympic fever with the emphasis on legacy it is wrong to be reducing sports facilities especially when there is a good chance that squash will be included in the 2020 Olympics (decision to be made before Christmas)
I think WODC and GLL have been underhand by not bringing these changes into the public domain earlier and in fact just presenting it as a fait accomplis.So much for serving the public!!! Is this what we pay our Council tax for?
[quote][p][bold]WitneyGreen[/bold] wrote: Well, I've lived in West Oxfordshire for many years and I never knew there was a 'squash scene'. You learn something new every day...[/p][/quote]Where have you been? Witney has been in the forefront of Oxfordshire Squash and particularly junior squash for over 15 years with many players representing the County at both Junior and Senior level and a couple have actually represented England. There has been a thriving junior club for many years with coaching every saturday and a number of coaching classes run by the leisure centre on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.There is a ladies morning on Mondays and the Adult club currently have two mens and one ladies team playing each week in the Oxfordshire Leagues.Telecom also have a mens team again playing each week. There is also a thriving mini league run by the Leisure Centre involving up 80 players With a reduction in courts from 5 to 3 there will be little time for public use in the evenings which will lead to the demise of squash in Witney. Witney is one of only 3 clubs in Oxfordshire with 4 or more courts and hence can and has been used for National and local Tournaments at both junior and senior level. All this will go if 2 courts are lost all for the sake of a fast buck!!! If you talk to the other gyms in Witney they will all say they have vacancies for Gym membership so why do we need more. At a time when we are coming down from Olympic fever with the emphasis on legacy it is wrong to be reducing sports facilities especially when there is a good chance that squash will be included in the 2020 Olympics (decision to be made before Christmas) I think WODC and GLL have been underhand by not bringing these changes into the public domain earlier and in fact just presenting it as a fait accomplis.So much for serving the public!!! Is this what we pay our Council tax for? mike4753

11:33pm Thu 13 Sep 12

JCP791 says...

As a gym user I would like to point out that the gym is NEVER full to capacity - Im down there most days of the week at all different times throughout the day and its never full. I also have friends who have worked in the gym and they too have told me it is never full.
Witney Squash Club is a thriving and energetic club with a huge focus on junior development. As someone pointed out all the rackets are the same make - thats because some of the players are good enough to be sponsored and work as distributors for the same sponsor so a large proportion of players have rackets by that brand.
It is very frustrating to watch GLL rush this through without proper consultation. Not to mention that if the courts do go its not only squash that will lose out, where will they relocate all the other activities the courts are used for? (Table tennis, bouncy castle, GoActive, Lifeguard training, Yoga, Cardiac Rehab, Over 50s exercises, creche, fencing...to name but a few!)
FYI an hours worth of squash burns 900 calories not to mention its excellent for core strength and it is great fun!
And if you think squash may be too fast for you or you have injuries then there is also racketball - same perks as squash just a bit easier on the body and the ball bounces more so it is a great cardio workout! For starters why would you want to bore youself in the gym?! But also it seems a shame after an amazing summer of sport to confine yourself to a gym. At this rate we will soon be competing in the Olympics at 'The Treadmill' or 'The Cross Trainer'.
As a gym user I would like to point out that the gym is NEVER full to capacity - Im down there most days of the week at all different times throughout the day and its never full. I also have friends who have worked in the gym and they too have told me it is never full. Witney Squash Club is a thriving and energetic club with a huge focus on junior development. As someone pointed out all the rackets are the same make - thats because some of the players are good enough to be sponsored and work as distributors for the same sponsor so a large proportion of players have rackets by that brand. It is very frustrating to watch GLL rush this through without proper consultation. Not to mention that if the courts do go its not only squash that will lose out, where will they relocate all the other activities the courts are used for? (Table tennis, bouncy castle, GoActive, Lifeguard training, Yoga, Cardiac Rehab, Over 50s exercises, creche, fencing...to name but a few!) FYI an hours worth of squash burns 900 calories not to mention its excellent for core strength and it is great fun! And if you think squash may be too fast for you or you have injuries then there is also racketball - same perks as squash just a bit easier on the body and the ball bounces more so it is a great cardio workout! For starters why would you want to bore youself in the gym?! But also it seems a shame after an amazing summer of sport to confine yourself to a gym. At this rate we will soon be competing in the Olympics at 'The Treadmill' or 'The Cross Trainer'. JCP791

7:10pm Fri 14 Sep 12

Snugs98 says...

ger elttil OX2 0EJ wrote:
Not sure about those "squash" players pictured, they are all wearing "marking" trainers that would not be allowed on court. and the identical raquets are a bit fishy as well.
Following comment from ger elttil, 'Why would you wear non-marking shoes' when your having your picture taken outside.

I can also confirm they are squash players, as I have seen them play there.

Never seen many people in the Gym mind, and yes its a really good Squash Club.
[quote][p][bold]ger elttil OX2 0EJ[/bold] wrote: Not sure about those "squash" players pictured, they are all wearing "marking" trainers that would not be allowed on court. and the identical raquets are a bit fishy as well.[/p][/quote]Following comment from ger elttil, 'Why would you wear non-marking shoes' when your having your picture taken outside. I can also confirm they are squash players, as I have seen them play there. Never seen many people in the Gym mind, and yes its a really good Squash Club. Snugs98

9:36pm Sun 16 Sep 12

globalthinker says...

I am amazed that GLL would have the evidence to support the need for additional gym space given that every time I attend the leisure centre (approx. 5 times a week, evenings and during the day) I have never seen more than about 12 people in the gym and only 4 people at most in the Easyline gym.
This morning (Sunday) I arrived at the Leisure Centre at 11am with my 5 year old daughter with the intention of going swimming or playing squash as these are the only two activities which would have been available to us. Fortunately, there was one squash court left available (which would of course not have been the case if the courts were reduced from 5 down to 3) as the swimming pool was full. In fact, a lady who was in the queue ahead of me with her two young children was turned away from the pool after also being turned away from Carterton pool as both pools were full. I noticed that at this time there were 6 people using the gym and no one in the Easyline gym.
I find this an absolutely disgusting waste of public money to expand currently underused gym space in the hope of encouraging a few more people to sign up for direct debit gym memberships which they will rarely use, but especially at the expense of further restricting our local leisure facilities available for young people. I was under the misconception that our local leisure centre existed to provide a service to the whole of the local community which includes many children who may have been motived by the Olympics to get into competitive sports such as squash and racketball.
I am amazed that GLL would have the evidence to support the need for additional gym space given that every time I attend the leisure centre (approx. 5 times a week, evenings and during the day) I have never seen more than about 12 people in the gym and only 4 people at most in the Easyline gym. This morning (Sunday) I arrived at the Leisure Centre at 11am with my 5 year old daughter with the intention of going swimming or playing squash as these are the only two activities which would have been available to us. Fortunately, there was one squash court left available (which would of course not have been the case if the courts were reduced from 5 down to 3) as the swimming pool was full. In fact, a lady who was in the queue ahead of me with her two young children was turned away from the pool after also being turned away from Carterton pool as both pools were full. I noticed that at this time there were 6 people using the gym and no one in the Easyline gym. I find this an absolutely disgusting waste of public money to expand currently underused gym space in the hope of encouraging a few more people to sign up for direct debit gym memberships which they will rarely use, but especially at the expense of further restricting our local leisure facilities available for young people. I was under the misconception that our local leisure centre existed to provide a service to the whole of the local community which includes many children who may have been motived by the Olympics to get into competitive sports such as squash and racketball. globalthinker

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