Terms and Conditions

Last updated: 28th March 2022

By signing into the booking system, all players agree to the terms and conditions of using the members’ area of the website for as long as their account is active.

By entering the squash courts’ building, all players agree to abide by the squash club’s code of conduct.

Terms and conditions

All players are to provide address and contact details in their profile page to meet with insurance obligations to the Sports Club, notably to be contactable in an emergency. Profile details are only accessible to players via their user account and it is the user’s responsibility to ensure that the details are current and to delete any details prior to the account being de-activated when membership expires.

By creating a user account, all players provide consent to be contacted by the club by email for all matters relating to membership and development of the Squash Club, which can include forwarded emails about related activities and communications from third parties with an interest in the facilities (e.g. Playball, Wandsworth Council, Surrey SRA, England Squash, etc.). Central emails will normally be sent from an email address ending @spencersquash.club @mailjet.spencersquash.club or @bookings.spencersquash.club and may be sent using an email distribution platform.

By creating a user account and providing a mobile number, the user provides consent for other members to see these details on the leagues and to use the details for contacting fellow members about arranging matches for the leagues.

User accounts are not deleted but are either active or inactive. Active accounts have varying access rights to the members’ website depending on their role within the club and their type of membership. Inactive accounts are typically accounts without an active membership and may be prevented from being able to log into the website but may continue to receive communications from the Spencer Squash club relating to the club. For any enquiries or further information about user accounts, please contact members@spencersquash.club

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Policy

Squash to be played in line with England Squash guidelines: England Squash Coronavirus Guidelines.

All users of the facilities agree to the following prior to booking and entering the courts:

  • Comply with England Squash guidelines on Ways to Play.
  • Confirm to not be symptomatic at the time of play and will notify any fellow members, you may have played in the past 3 days.
  • Read and follow guidelines on posters in the squash courts corridor and on court.
  • Apply disinfectant provided when entering and exiting the building and courts and also to wipe down all surfaces touched during play, especially door handles, using the spray disinfectant and towel provided
  • Arrive just before booking slots and leave immediately afterwards.

Code of conduct

All players agree to wear clean non-marking indoor shoes when on court, which means carrying shoes to and from the courts.

All players playing with rackets that have not been used for a long time must check that the grips are not peeling. Peeling grips must be changed prior to play as they can cause significant damage to the floor.

Any member responsible for marks on the courts can expect to receive a fine added to their account and/or expulsion from the club if they do not abide by these rules.

Members (and coaches) are fully responsible for any non-members brought onto the site.

All players agree to abide by a respectful conduct, both towards other players and also towards other players of the facilities.

Players may wish to wear protective eyewear on court in line with England Squash recommendation (click for more details). This particularly applies when playing doubles and in junior squash, where eye protection is mandatory in competition.

Look for the British Standard BS7930.1 Squash on any eyewear purchased to ensure the right quality.

Failure to abide by this code of conduct can result in enforcement of the club’s disciplinary policy outlined below.

Equality Policy Statement

Spencer Squash Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

Spencer Squash Club is committed to ensuring that equality is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equality:

Sports equality is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure that it becomes equally accessible to all members of society, whatever their age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality or socio-economic status.

Spencer Squash Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of discrimination, intimidation, harassment and abuse.

All Club members have a responsibility to challenge discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

Spencer Squash Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to our disciplinary procedures.

Safeguarding & Dealing with Minors in and around the Clubhouse

During school holiday camps where there is the risk that adults may be using the shower and changing facilities at the same time as children, we advise our adult club members to refrain from changing in the toilet area and to use the Home Changing facilities.  In addition, all showering is to be done behind closed curtains.  Under no circumstances should any member walk around the shower/ toilet area without clothes on.

No cameras or mobile phones are allowed at any time in the toilet or shower area.

No one under the age of 18 will be served alcohol at the Clubhouse bar.  Anyone thought to be under 18 will be asked to produce ID.

It is illegal for parents to purchase alcohol for children from the Clubhouse bar.  However, under 18s are allowed in the Clubhouse if supervised by a responsible adult.

Where under 18s play for a senior team and are included on WhatsApp groups for match and training information either the parent of the under 18 should be included in the group or a group moderator should be appointed.  If the adults of the team wish to have social chat and make comments which are inappropriate for a minor they should set up a separate WhatsApp group without the under 18 included.

Disciplinary policy

The Committee can enforce a disciplinary policy for circumstances either resulting in a degradation of the facilities or in response to a complaint lodged against the club about a user’s conduct on the premises.

The disciplinary policy consists of the following levels:

1. Verbal warning (and educating), when the user fails to abide by the code of conduct or there is minimal damage to the facilities that are easily repaired.

2. Final warning (in writing), when the user persists in ignoring the terms of use/code of conduct and/or reimbursement for damages is necessary. Reimbursement to the club would be necessary to cover repairs resulting from significant damage for which satisfactory evidence (CCTV / witnesses) has been collected to highlight and prove someone’s guilt.

3. Suspension of membership, where strong punishment is necessary but without the necessity to terminate membership (e.g. first offence for a long-standing member with a good reputation).

4. Termination of membership, where there has been total disregard for the above warnings with unacceptable ongoing behaviour and/or refusal to pay a repairs bill for any damage incurred.

The level of disciplinary is at the discretion of the committee (or sub-disciplinary committee).

Appeal process

Players have the right to appeal to the Chair of The Spencer Club, for which a review panel would be set up. The panel would likely include, amongst others, the Spencer Club Chair and Secretary.

Photography Policy

Spencer Squash Club controls the use of photographic and/or recording equipment under guidelines to, where reasonably possible, restrict the potential for misuse. In all cases where the Club has allowed photography, the personal preferences of any subjects take precedence. The Club takes a zero-tolerance approach to reports of inappropriate photography and will not hesitate to call on the police or other authorities to resolve issues.

What’s allowed?

Any and all photographs taken for non-commercial personal reasons provided they do not break any of the ‘What’s not allowed?’ rules. Users must respect the preferences of other users when taking photos.

Photos taken for publicity purposes by Spencer Squash Club – following verbal consent from the user(s).

What’s not allowed?

Public photography including selfies is explicitly BANNED at all times and under any circumstances in:

– the changing rooms
– the shower/dry areas and/or toilets

Photography of users where the subject is taking part an activity where the guardian/carers are not in direct supervision and the Club (or its third party users) are acting in a parental capacity, including all lessons.

Unauthorised photography where the subject(s) is not aware of and/or has not given their consent.

No camera, video camera, sound recording equipment or other photographic apparatus may be brought onto the premises for commercial purposes without advance written permission from the Committee.

Spencer Squash Club may on demand have access to customer photographs and video footage and request that certain photographs and/or footage are deleted if they are deemed to be offensive to or infringe the privacy of other users and/or staff.

Users are encouraged to bring to the attention of the Committee and/or Club Welfare Officer any photography which is unauthorised or inappropriate in their opinion.

Approaching Users

This is a sensitive area, which has the potential to upset and offend users. Any user found using photographic equipment in unauthorised areas and/or activities is politely and sensitively dealt with on the assumption that their motives are entirely innocent and that they are genuinely unaware of the rules in place.

If an individual is identified with a camera or mobile phone in unauthorised areas and/or activities, it will be reported and brought to the attention of the Committee & Club Welfare Officer, whom will determine if further action and/or investigation is required.

Publishing Images

The Club will ask for the permission of a user(s) and/or the guardian/carer of a person under the age of 18 prior to publishing photographic material.

If a photograph is used, we will avoid naming the user(s) full name, we will NEVER publish personal details (email addresses, telephone numbers, addresses etc.) of a child/young person – without prior written permission.

Reporting

To report inappropriate behaviour, misuse of photographic material or to raise a concern, email connect@spencersquash.club or safeguarding@spencerclub.org.

Enforcement of the terms and conditions/code of conduct

The Spencer Squash Club Committee reserves the right to change the terms and conditions and rules of conduct at any time to meet with legal requirements and/or standards imposed by the Sports Club.

Any other changes are subject to procedures outlined in the charter.