Following our AGM on 17th September 2023 some important changes have been made to fees and table bookings. Below are the most important points. Members can contact the secretary or chair for full minutes.
Due to rising energy costs, fees have been marginally increased. Members will now pay £1 per frame or per 30 minutes practice - the same as visitors. Fees are now capped at £3 per session (previously £2.50). There is no price cap for visitors.
This will allow players playing less frames to contribute more toward their incurred energy costs, without overly penalising those playing faster frames.
Last season, as victims of our own success and hosting 5 home teams, the club was frequently overrun with multiple bookings on the same night, and bookings clashing due to confusion. This also made it difficult for people to practice.
To mitigate this, a few changes were voted into effect:
All table bookings including singles/doubles matches and booked practice will incur a £1 additional fee if played after 6pm on Monday - Friday. This is to encourage players to use the club during quieter daytime/weekend hours.
A new booking system is being created which will use the website. Once complete, all future bookings must be done using this system, and not the Facebook page or club diary. This system gives a single point of reference, and will prevent accidental double-bookings. Signs with instructions and guidance will be provided once this is ready.
Under all circumstances, at least one table should remain unbooked and open for practice at any time. If two tables are booked, the third must be left for members and visitors to share.
If all tables are in use and people are waiting to play, we will now go to a 'blackboard system'. Three blackboards will be provided, onefor each table. Those waiting should add their name to the board, then when the players currently on have spent one hour on the table, they should give way to the next in the list. They can then add their name and wait to play again.
This has been done because some frames can take an hour, while others take 20 minutes. It isn't fair to use a table for only 20 minutes then wait an hour for your next turn. This gives everyone a minimum amount of time.
For match bookings, once the match is completed, the table becomes a 'blackboard table' again.
If all tables are in use and people are waiting to play, we will now go to a 'blackboard system'. Three blackboards will be provided, onefor each table. Those waiting should add their name to the board, then when the players currently on have spent one hour on the table, they should give way to the next in the list. They can then add their name and wait to play again.
Using the new booking system we will for the first time allow bookings for solo/group practice. Each member must either be a keyfob holder or play with someone else who can grant them access. Each member will be granted 2hrs for practice bookings per week, per person.
Two members can combine their practice allowance together, and book upto 4hrs in one session. Allowances will reset on Sunday night at midnight.
The above allowances are a minimum, by no means a maximum. Once your slot has ended, you have no need to give way unless other people are waiting for the table. You can also come down as normal to use a spare table.