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Clubhouse Corner - 30th September 2020

30th September 2020

By Ann Bedford

The latest from the Surbiton HC Clubhouse...

All change again this weekend – it is a sad goodbye to the stretch tent which has proved a huge success over the summer, and hello to the winter edition marquee. Sides will be removed in order to keep this as outdoorsy as possible going forward over the winter months. The marquee will be alongside the clubhouse enabling us to combine match tea service on Saturdays with an inside/outside bar space in the evenings and a shelter for our Colts camps and JJB.

As we are now legally bound to serve food and drink to tables it is imperative that we have both home and away teams sitting in their 6s at the same time in order to stick to the schedule. You will only be served when at one of the specified tables. I will be hiring more help to ensure drinks are served in a timely fashion, not just as you're asked to vacate as happened to a couple of teams this weekend.

You may have noticed that the welcome received on the gate on Saturday was of a slightly higher calibre than you are used to! Bill proved a huge success ensuring everyone was checked in and pointed in the right direction. Even under my careful supervision he remains incredibly polite – don't be alarmed if you're addressed as Sir or Madam he has a hospitality pedigree which way outranks me!

I'm hoping you're all getting the hang of the rule of 6 so I don't want to nag about the same thing each week. This week my topic is masks. <<Muffled cries of delight>>. As a licensed premises masks must be worn whenever you are in the clubhouse, except when you are sitting down to eat or drink. I know that it is alien to most of us but believe me you will generally only need them on for five or 10 minutes when popping to the toilet or waiting to be served your "takeaway only" drinks from the bar.

For the staff it is full on and while I am hugely generous and let them take the odd 10 minute break, resembling a bandit and shouting through three layers of fabric whilst behind a sheet of perspex is a bit more of a hassle.

We do have disposable masks available behind the bar for the princely sum of £1, but that in itself causes issues as you can't get to the bar without a mask… just don't forget yours would be the simplest solution! An SHC mask is undoubtedly the way to go – see this page for more.

I don't have a team of the week or a wooden spoon award this week but would just like to say it was great to see the Vintage teams back in the clubhouse – they even abided by most of the new rules. As the jugs of Pride flowed there may have been some confusion over the sit down mask off and stand up mask on rule, so masks were on and off more often than our sensor-controlled toilet lights! A quick mention also has to go to the M3A who were surprisingly well organised – very loud, but well organised.

It was the first time the bar has been at capacity and we will continue to monitor this as numbers depend on the combination of groups of six and individuals we have in at any one time.

You may have noticed a lovely new addition to our outdoor furniture collection, an incredibly solid President’s table which was organised by Mr President, Sir Andy Powdrell. Anyone interested in ordering one for themselves (with or without the SHC crest) should send enquiries to pwdrandr@aol.com

Thanks to all the bar and tea hut staff and of course our ever cheery chefs, more lovely teas this week and let's remember to be nice and stay safe.

This week's Match Teas Menu:

  • Green Thai chicken curry
  • Yellow Thai vegetable curry
  • Thai beef laab in baby gem
  • Cucumber salad
  • Rice
  • Prawn crackers 

Match Teas Schedule, Saturday 3rd October:

  • 11.30am: L7 v Woking L4
  • 12.30pm: L9 v Old Freeman L1
  • 1pm: Vintage v Sevenoaks Superveterans
  • 2pm: Sparticans v Horley M2
  • 2.30pm: L6 v Spencer Sapphires
  • 3.30pm: M4 v London Academical M2
  • 4.30pm: M2 v Tunbridge Wells M1
  • 5pm: M6 v Addiscombe M2
  • 5.30pm: Cobras v Teddington M6
  • 6.30pm: Sirens v Leatherhead L3