Restarting croquet

I am delighted to report that we now have approval to restart some limited games of croquet during the latest phase of the Covid-19 lockdown. It is vitally important for the health and safety of ourselves and the community generally that we all abide by Government guidelines and the requirements of our local Council. To do this, we have drawn up a set of conditions incorporating national guidance from the Croquet Association.

Two of the requirements of our local Council are that the clubhouse and access to toilet and handwashing facilities remain closed and that the lawns are not available for play on Mondays. In order to minimise unplanned gatherings of people, overlapping attendance and speculative journeys, we are also having to introduce a lawn booking system. The measures are described more fully in the following notes and there are links to the new lawn booking system in the Members only area and under the Quick Links menu on our website. I urge you all to read the notes carefully and to adhere to them when we start playing again. All team games, matches and competitions remain cancelled until further notice.

I appreciate that the new restrictions and lawn booking system result in loss of facilities in the clubhouse and the flexibilities in arranging games and group activities we have all enjoyed in the past but they are necessary to enable us to enjoy safely some limited forms of croquet during the next phase of the coronavirus epidemic. I hope you all manage to enjoy some games during the remainder of the season.

I look forward to seeing you on the lawns again soon – at a distance, of course!

Jayne Taylor

Arrangements for restarting croquet

  1. Do not visit the Club if you have any coronavirus symptoms or have been in contact with anyone who has. All members have a personal responsibility to follow national guidance relevant to their personal circumstances, to exercise particular caution if they or members of their household or other family, friends or colleagues have been exposed to coronavirus, and to observe the Club’s protocols regarding use of its facilities and lawns. If you have been asked to self-isolate then you should follow the advice given by your GP or NHS111. Members playing croquet and using the Club’s facilities and lawns do so at their own risk.
  1. Guests, visitors or spectators should not be present and there should be no other social or group activities.
  1. The clubhouse remains closed and there is no access to toilets and handwashing facilities. Hand sanitiser will be available in the storeroom but preferably members should bring their own, any refreshments they may wish to have, and their own mallets and seats.
  1. Games are permitted only between members of the same household or between one person and another person from a different household. This limits play to singles games played on separate lawns and double-banking is not permitted. All competitions and team matches remain cancelled.
  1. Social distancing of at least two metres should be observed at all times by people living in separate households and preferably by people living in the same household in order to set an example and to demonstrate community responsibility.
  1. For additional protection, members are invited to wear gloves and face masks but these are not mandatory.
  1. Only one person at a time may enter the storeroom to borrow or return croquet equipment. Always apply hand sanitiser when entering the storeroom and using shared items of equipment. When returning equipment to the storeroom after use, clean and wipe wheelie bins, hoops, balls, mallets, chairs, etc, with disinfectant, detergent or disposable wipes. Before leaving and closing the storeroom clean door handles, locks and keys.
  1. To minimise contact with shared items of equipment, the same person should set out and return any particular item of equipment, avoid using clips and corner flags and markers, and use feet rather than hands to position a ball.
  1. In order to minimise unplanned gatherings of people, overlapping attendance and speculative journeys, all games and individual practice sessions should be pre-arranged and booked in advance. A lawn booking system is being implemented with 1½ hour time slots starting at 10.00 am, 11.30 am, 1.00 pm, 2.30 pm, 4.00 pm and 5.30 pm. Bookings may be made by a member for two named players up to a week ahead and no more than four 1½ hour time slots may be booked within a week. This will replace the signing-in book for the time being. Lawns are not available on Mondays and there are no specially allocated days or times for association croquet or golf croquet. These arrangements will be kept under review and may be modified in the light of experience. Further details about the lawn booking system are being circulated separately.
  1. All members are welcome to suggest additional measures to minimise risks and improve safety and security and should contact the Club Secretary, John Dawson, on 01244 675929 or at johngdawson@onetel.com .


Download a  copy of these notes and an
introduction to the new lawn booking system.