Regeneration of the Clubhouse
The next chapter of Old College
In recent years, Old College has evolved enormously. The club has invested steadily in its courts, lighting and tennis infrastructure. Membership has grown, the junior programme has flourished and our teams continue to thrive. More people are playing, competing and spending time at the club than ever before.
We are now focused on transforming the final part of the club that has not kept pace with that evolution: the clubhouse itself. Member feedback has consistently pointed to the clubhouse as the club’s next major priority.
In response, we have launched a Clubhouse Regeneration programme that is about more than upgrading a building. We want to create a space that reflects the energy, ambition and community the club has become — a welcoming, inclusive and flexible environment designed to support our members, coaches and visitors for decades to come.
The regeneration will deliver:
- A new changing block including accessible washrooms, and improved facilities for coaches and equipment replacing the existing garage structure.
- Refurbishment of the existing clubhouse to create a larger and more welcoming social space within the current building footprint, and improved kitchen and bar facilities.
- Improvements to the surrounding landscaping and access routes, including improved accessibility for wheelchair users and visitors
The aim of the regeneration is clear: to amplify and support what members already love about the club while ensuring the club can continue to grow and evolve for decades to come.
History
The current clubhouse was built in the mid-1980s for a much smaller club with fewer teams, fewer courts and a less active junior and adult tennis programme.
Over time, it has become clear that the clubhouse no longer fully supports the needs of the modern club around it. We started considering the regeneration in 2024 and explored a number of options, including:
- A completely new clubhouse
- Phased extension and regeneration
- Refurbishment only
- Limited cosmetic improvements
Following consultation, technical assessment and pre-planning review with Southwark Council, the preferred route became a regeneration and extension approach. This option provides the strongest long-term balance between:
- Functionality
- Cost efficiency
- Long-term sustainability
- Accessibility
- The future needs of the club
Governance & Oversight
To provide independent oversight and specialist input throughout the project, we established a Project Steering Group (PSG), all of whom are members of the club.
The PSG works alongside and advises the Club Committee to review plans, challenge assumptions, and oversee costs as the project develops.
The PSG is chaired by Charlotte Ireson who is a professional architect. Other members are:
- Hande Reardon (interior designer)
- Jamie Acheson (Chartered Surveyor, and Managing Director of property development company)
- Andrew Speller (Finance and Operations Director of property development company)
- Caroline Beck (Club Chair and Treasurer)
- Bob Henderson (Club Vice Chair)
Following a competitive tender process, BSA Architects were appointed based on their experience, competitive pricing, previous work with both the club and similar projects, and their ability to support the regeneration through design, tender and delivery phases.
We have also appointed independent quantity surveyors to scrutinise the plans, challenge costs and advise the PSG.
Throughout 2025, we have updated members on progress and continued consultation to refine the design. Planning permission for the final design was granted in December 2025.
Costs and Construction
To improve efficiency and reduce overall disruption, we aim to complete the principal construction phase over approximately five months rather than through multiple smaller phases.
The current estimated cost for delivery of the Clubhouse Regeneration is £1.2 million. This has been examined and challenged in detail by our independent quantity surveyors and the PSG.
This estimate includes the costs of construction itself as well as approximately 30% for VAT, professional fees, project management, and contingency.
The final detailed plans are currently being reviewed and then the club will go out to formal tender for construction.
Funding
The club begins this project from a strong financial position and we will fund around 57% – more than £650,000 – from club reserves. We have applied for an external loan which we hope will contribute a further £300,000, and we continue to explore other loan and grant options.
Based on current projections, we will need additional fundraising, and we aim to raise the balance – around £250,000 – through member donations and fundraising efforts.
We have appointed a standalone fundraising committee which has launched the OC Clubhouse ’26 campaign to help lead and coordinate fundraising activity across the club.
The intention is to explore a wide range of fundraising approaches, with a particular focus on encouraging participation and involvement across the summer season. We see this as an opportunity not only to support the regeneration itself, but also to strengthen the sense of togetherness, energy and shared ambition that will shape the next era of Old College once the clubhouse is complete.
What happens next?
The next step is to go out to tender for construction. This will take place during the summer. Once the tenders have been reviewed and a preferred construction partner identified, we will call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). Here, we will present the final costs, update on loans and fundraising, and seek member approval for the use of club funds to go ahead with the project.
This section of the website will act as the central hub for:
- Project updates
- FAQs
- Presentations
- Fundraising information
- Member communications
And we will share details and progress on fundraising, donations and timelines through the wider OC Clubhouse ’26 campaign.
We recognise that members will have questions, views and ideas throughout the process — and we welcome that involvement.
The success of the project will ultimately depend not simply on construction, but on collective participation and shared ambition across the club community.
Because OC Clubhouse ’26 is not simply about upgrading a building: it’s about helping shape the next chapter of Old College.