Dear Member,
The Board of Directors has appointed JW Cannon Ltd (JWC) to undertake the Bar and Function rooms refurbishment project starting on 6th January and due to complete by 2nd May 2025. JWC completed the refurbishment of the Club Café last year and the Squash Courts conversion in 2015 so they have a successful track record with the Club. JWC were the lowest cost and best value tender out of the three submitted tenders. They will set up their site around the terrace at the rear of the Clubhouse and board off the Function rooms and the Members Bar from 6th January. The Bridge Room will stay open for Member use throughout the works period until the last month when it will be refurbished last. A fuller programme of works will be published before Christmas.
JWC also won the contract for the Bar Terrace extension being the lowest and best value tender from the four submitted and will work on that project in parallel to the internal refurbishment contract. However that project cannot start until final planning permission is received. This is expected before Christmas and it is hoped will start on 6th January as well.
The Club Cafe will be open throughout the works period plus the new Garden Room Bar will be open in the evening for Members to be served alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. While there will be no events and evening bistro between January and May it is hoped that the day-to-day food and beverage service will not be affected too much as staff will be taking orders and serving to tables.
Trial pits are being dug on the golf practice ground to ascertain what old building foundations lie down there plus the exact location of service pipework. This work will be completed by Christmas and the practice area will be re-opened for the beginning of January.
This valuable information will assist in the de-risking of the tender package content being prepared and scheduled to be completed by late February. It is hoped to go out to tender for the building works by the beginning of March and once costed tenders are received back details sent out for consultation to Members in April.
Options for the location of a new padel court hub are still being thought through and a meeting with Wandsworth Planners will be arranged early in the New Year to see what permissions are likely to be given. That will give us a steer on what is possible and how we can plan to future proof padel , pickleball and tennis to all flourish alongside each other.
In January we will be installing a new capillary concrete bunker lining with new sand in two greenside bunkers on the third hole as a trial for Members to play out of. We want to see if the lining enables the bunkers to drain better and for the sand to stick to the lining combining to give a better surface to play out of. Our bunkers are due for refurbishment and the Golf Committee would like feedback on this new lining to see if it should be rolled out across the course over the next few years. Please give your feedback to Peter Bradburn at peter.bradburn@roehamptonclub.co.uk
Club Champion Alex Tonge won the EAGG Singles Title in Portugal last weekend representing Roehampton Club. Alex won through six rounds here in the UK to qualify for the final at Monte Rei GC.
From a field of the best 54 amateur golfers in the South of England Alex beat Ben Sayers of Felixstowe Ferry GC 6 and 5 in the final. Congratulations Alex on putting Roehampton Club onto the national golf map. Read more here
The Roehampton Club team of Oli Golding, Alex Ward, Matt Short and Bojan Jelovac won the National Team Age Group Title last weekend in Birmingham. All of the guys play for our teams, coach at the Club and inspire our Juniors to improve.
Congratulations to them for ensuring the Club stays at the top of British Club tennis.
Helen Bolt, Marketing and Membership Manager attended the recent 2024 Club Awards in Leicester to collect this coveted award won by Roehampton Club for all its initiatives undertaken this year.
The Club was commended for its electrification of the Clubhouse kitchen, its recycling of all grounds and food materials on site, the new water filtration stations to reduce plastics and the continued savings generated by the solar panels.
Our Environmental Committee is pleased to win this award and has many new initiatives in the pipeline in its quest to become carbon neutral by 2030.
2025 is going to be a busy year for the Club and can I thank Members in advance for the patience and forbearance as we look to improve the social areas of the Clubhouse and the Bar Terrace/ Gardens in the first quarter.
We hope you will all be pleased with the results come May.
Merry Christmas from all the staff and myself,
Marc
