FAQs
Q. Why do we need a new clubhouse?
Over the past eight years, the Club has focused heavily on improving its tennis facilities. We have resurfaced courts, installed and upgraded floodlights, and built a completely new court 4. These improvements have helped increase membership significantly and strengthened the long-term position of the Club.
As the Club has grown, it has become increasingly clear that the current clubhouse is no longer suited to the needs of a modern eight-court club with almost 900 members. In our recent member survey, the majority of respondents supported the creation of a more welcoming, inclusive and social clubhouse environment.
At the same time, parts of the existing building infrastructure, including electrics and plumbing, now require significant renewal. Once that level of work is undertaken, modern building and safeguarding standards also need to be met. The current building layout and changing room capacity were designed for a much smaller club and do not provide a practical long-term solution.
The proposed regeneration allows us to address those issues properly while creating a clubhouse that better reflects the scale, ambition and community life of Old College today.
Q. What will the new clubhouse be like?
The intention is to retain the existing clubhouse and extend it towards Lovers Walk, creating new changing rooms, a coaches’ office and improved storage areas. The existing garage building (coaches shed) would be removed.
Inside, the clubhouse would be reconfigured to create a larger bar and kitchen area, improved lounge and seating spaces, informal workspace and dedicated areas for juniors and families. The aim is to create a clubhouse that supports tennis, social life and wider club activity throughout the year.
The overall footprint will be approximately 70% larger than the current clubhouse. We have received planning approval for this new design; images and plans can be viewed in the clubhouse and here.
Q. How much will the Clubhouse Regeneration cost?
The current estimated cost of the Clubhouse Regeneration is approximately £1.2 million.
This estimate has been developed in detail by our architects and independently reviewed by specialist consultants and a professional quantity surveyor. It includes construction costs and interior fit out, as well as approximately 30% for VAT, contingency and professional fees.
The estimate reflects the full scope of the project and aims to provide a realistic and responsible assessment before entering the formal tender process. Comparable modern sports pavilion projects in the local area of a similar scale are within a similar range.
Q. When will we know the final cost?
The next stage is to go out to tender for construction. We hope to receive tenders during the summer and then identify a preferred construction partner.
The final agreed contract value may end up slightly below or above the current estimate, but the tender process will provide a much firmer understanding of total costs before any final commitment is made.
Q. How will we pay for it?
The Club has been preparing for this project for several years and has built significant financial reserves to support long-term investment in its facilities.
We expect that 57% of the project cost — more than £650,000 — will come from existing Club reserves. We have applied for an external loan and are considering other loan or grant options, which we hope could contribute around £300,000.
On top of this, we aim to raise the final 20%, around £250,000, through member fundraising and donations.
As a CASC (Community Amateur Sports Club), eligible donations directly to the Club can also attract Gift Aid, increasing the value of those donations to the Club.
Our long-term financial modelling indicates that the Club can continue to support future court investment requirements while operating a new clubhouse responsibly.
Q. How much can I donate?
Any contribution is genuinely appreciated.
We have launched a JustGiving campaign where members and supporters can donate directly https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/occlubhouse26. For larger donations, giving directly to the Club reduces administration and platform fees.
To recognise significant contributions, we plan to acknowledge donations in the following tiers:
Platinum £10,000+
Gold £5,000–£10,000
Silver £2,500–£5,000
Bronze £1,000–£2,500
If you would like to discuss a larger donation directly, please contact Bob Henderson or Caroline Beck.
Q. Will donations be acknowledged?
Yes — unless donors prefer to remain anonymous, we currently expect contributions within the recognition tiers to be acknowledged within the new clubhouse, most likely through a donor recognition board.
More importantly, all donations will help contribute to the long-term future of the Club and the next phase of Old College’s development.
For donations of £50,000 or more, we would be happy to discuss appropriate recognition directly with the donor.
Q. When will the project happen?
The use of a large sum of club funds requires member approval and so we will call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) during the summer. Here, we will present the final cost from the tender process, the status of money raised from loans, fundraising and donations, and options to cover any shortfall.
If approved at the EGM, we would aim for construction to begin around November, with a completion target of Spring 2027, ahead of the summer season.
As with any major construction project, timings may evolve as planning, tendering and funding are finalised.
Q. What happens if fundraising falls short?
We want to fund as much of the project as possible through existing reserves, external funding and voluntary member support.
If additional funding were required, there are a number of options, including additional external loans, member lending arrangements or pre-paid subscriptions.
Only as a final contingency would the Club consider a one-off Special Capital Contribution from members. If required, we would keep this proportionate and affordable, with appropriate consideration for members facing financial hardship.
Q. What happens if the project is not approved at the EGM?
The Committee would need to reconsider the next steps for the clubhouse. This could include redesigning elements of the proposal or pursuing more limited refurbishment works. Delaying the existing design will lead to increasing costs.
The Committee believes the current proposal provides the best long-term balance between practicality, member feedback, future capacity and financial sustainability.
Q. Who is running the project?
The project is being led by a Project Steering Group made up of Club members with relevant professional expertise.
The Steering Group is chaired by Charlotte Ireson (Architect) and includes Hande Reardon (Interior Designer), Jamie Acheson (Chartered Surveyor and Managing Director of a Property Development Company) and Andrew Speller (Finance and Operations Director of a Property Company).
The Club Committee representatives are Caroline Beck (Club Chair) and Bob Henderson (Club Vice Chair).
The Club has appointed BSA as architects who have designed the new clubhouse, and Halsteads as quantity surveyors.