A Return To Badminton

The essential information you need to know
Hello Wycombe Badminton Centre Members,

Firstly, I hope you are well and keen to return to playing badminton, albeit in a different environment to that which we left in March. The Centre is planning to reopen as of Monday, July 27th (Government announcements permitting) with some changes as to how we operate. We need you to work with us to keep everyone safe; safety for everyone at the Centre remains our top priority. The Centre has created a Covid Charter, which sets out the thinking and precautions necessary to keep everyone safe (link to Covid 19 Charter).

We would ask everyone to read Badminton England's guidance on how Badminton should be played, which can be located through this link www.badmintonengland.co.uk/return-to-play.

Perhaps the biggest change and most essential thing we need everyone to understand before they come back to the Centre is how you must enter and exit the building and the one-way system that has been implemented. This system and other key changes are set out below:

Arriving at the Centre & The One-Way System

• Please queue outside the Centre just prior to the time of your booking and wait to be invited into the building.
• Please arrive already changed into your playing kit - we ask that you change into your playing shoes at the back of your allocated court.
• You must only enter the building through the reception entrance.
• You must only exit the building through the fire escape on court 6 and up via the concrete stairs to the car park at the back of the cinema. Please note that there is no handrail up the concrete steps, so if you feel unsafe with these measures, we ask you to consider delaying your return until these access restrictions can be lifted.
• To access the toilet from the hall, you will need to leave the building via the fire escape and re-enter the building through the outside reception door.

Bookings

• We are only accepting bookings made online.
• Maximum of 6 players to a court booking.
• Players must be named at the time of booking.
• We would recommend that one player is responsible for ensuring social distancing is maintained at all times - Badminton England calls these "Covid Officers".
• Sessions may need to end 5 minutes early, so that we can escort all players outside and safely prepare for the next bookings.

Badminton Games

• Both singles play and doubles play can take place in groups of people from different households, as long as you remain 2 metres apart as far as possible – meaning that four people from different households can play doubles.
• Players can rotate within the group but social distancing must be maintained within this group. You cannot move groups within a session.

Facilities

• Coaching will resume although groups can be no bigger than 5 players to one coach, provided social distancing can be controlled.
• Only the toilet by reception will be available (one person at a time) and for the time being will be unisex.
• The upstairs changing rooms, toilets, showers, the bar area and kitchen, are all closed and out of bounds.
• Strings'n'Things shop is open (10am to 7pm); please phone ahead to make an appointment on 01494 528441 - the shop will be closed outside these hours.
• Food and drinks will not be for sale. Please bring your own drinks for on court remembering that they must be in a resealable container (ie no cans allowed).
• No spectating is currently allowed.
• Racket hire is not available so please bring your own racquets - you can still buy shuttles.
• Reception will not accept cash - card and contactless payments only.
• Sanitiser will be available throughout the Centre.
• Notices and posters as well as the directional one-way system will all be on display at the Centre.

At all times the Centre will follow Government and Badminton England guidelines and we may alter or amend the operation within the Centre to constantly improve safety.

If you have any further questions please contact me through the Contacts page.

I look forward to seeing you all on your return to the Centre.

Kind regards
Alistair Jones
Centre Manager