1994

The security of the Club was considered following a few burglaries on the premises. The outcome was the installation of an alarm system and heavier security for the bar area.

The RAC section had served its purpose by boosting the numbers within the full-playing section; therefore this season would be its last. These members now required the use of prime court time and were given the option of being assessed for full playing membership immediately or at the end of the season.

On the playing side, due to lack of ladies wanting to play singles the team was withdrawn from the Essex Ladies Singles League. There was however an increasing number of men reaching the grand age of 45 to warrant the entry of a 3^rd Mens veterans team  in the Essex League.

This was the first year the Ratings Tournament was run without any national sponsorship, only from The Travel Club of Upminster. Without doubt the most bizarre and most colourful player ever to turn up for this event was Bryan Turton, a tall, shaven headed Australian. He had apparently convinced the LTA that he was a player of the highest class. He turned up at the Club carrying only a plastic bag which contained some bread, butter and cheese; apparently his rackets were all being strung! He was dressed in baseball clothes and had no money. As security he handed the tournament referee his passport in which was a picture of Steffi Graf stuck to one of the pages. His apparent credentials put him into the semi-final for which he arrived on the Sunday morning with one arm and one leg clad in a black stocking, he still didn't have a racket. He borrowed a racket from his opponents little sister. He lost a disputed match and left the premises, later to be seen walking barefoot through Upminster. The whole day was most entertaining.

An interesting item put under the heading of ‘New Club Equipment’, took members by surprise when it appeared at the Club. The item was a piece of children’s play apparatus, in the form of a rocket, which had been temporarily installed behind the clubhouse. The rocket was acquired from a council playground which was being demolished. The intention by the acquirer was that the Club could use such a piece of equipment to keep children amused while their parents were playing tennis. After some discussion the Committee voted against having a playground at the Club and requested removal of the rocket.

The short term storage problem was solved with the acquisition of a 3metre x 2metre steel gas governor, purchased for a nominal sum from British Gas. This was installed on a concrete base behind the Clubhouse.

Plans submitted showing proposed Childrens Play Area

1995

The RAC section closed on 1^st April after 6 years. All members were notified of this intention and during March were considered for full membership. Following assessment there remained 8 members who were not accepted into the main section. They were given the name tag of Improvers with the opportunity to make the required standard within the year. 

There was an increase in numbers of the junior section. The ever increasing work involved to run this section prompted the formation of a junior sub-committee to relieve the Junior Secretary of some of this work.
 

In March the Club looked like a construction site when Halmo Sports Ltd started work on the replacement of tarmacadam courts 5 to 8. The replacement involved the breaking up of the existing surface and laying new base stone and limestone foundation to a depth around 200mm. Ducting was laid through the centre of the courts with draw wires, in readiness for the installation of future floodlighting. With the new base course of macadam, new tubular fencing enclosure and Desso Sportilan synthetic grass, partly financed by a loan of £30000 from the LTA, the whole project was to cost in the region of £87000. 

Courts 5 to 8 replaced with synthetic grass

The construction site remained with materials being delivered for the pavilion extension which was started in April. The building was completed in May providing a new entrance lobby, lounge area with opening doors to a patio area and folding doors to the main hall. The cost of this project had risen to around £32000, which was mainly due to the change of materials from timber to brick.  

Following the completion of the clubhouse extension, carpet tiles were provided and fitted at no cost and chairs acquired for £140. A pool table was installed, which in the first five weeks made £250 from its use. 

With the clubhouse building extension and court replacement projects completed, a grand opening event was held, instead of the annual fete, with an American tournament, stalls, barbeque, table tennis and pool tournament followed by an evening disco. 

A Coaching Sub-Committee was formed to look at the existing coaching arrangements and the coaching requirements of members. The findings and recommendations eventually lead to a complete change in the coaching arrangements and financing with all courses coming under the control of the Club. Towards the end of the year a Coaching Co-ordinator was appointed. 

The winter season saw the start of the Essex Winter League into which the Club entered three Mens and two Ladies teams.

1996

It took until March for the remaining 8 members of the old RAC section, who had been playing under the Improvers category, to be invited to join the full playing section. 

The next major project to consider was to update the floodlighting system on courts 5 to 8, for which planning application was sought. Letters were sent to residents who surrounded the Club with a view to disperse any fears they may have prior to notice of the planning application. Committee members with council planners visited Cranbrook Castle Tennis Club with the view of proving that the lighting system would cause no problem to residents. The lighting system chosen was manufactured by RLS Lighting Inc. and would eradicate any upward lighting and restrict light spillage below. The only stipulation was that the height of the lights would be no greater than 6.5 metres. Planning permission was received towards the end of the year, which included installation for courts 3 and 4. 

Following the coaching re-organisation, the vacant position of Club Coach was filled by Mr N Walker. His previous position had been at Gidea Park Tennis Club and his appointment was taken up in September.

1997

The Committee took on a new look with around nine changes. The membership of the Club probably hit its peek figure of 184 full playing members. At the same time the junior membership was forever growing and was increased to 153 but there was still a waiting list of around 60. 

The Mens Captain recorded that in all his years at the Club he could not recall there being such a successful season for the Mens teams, with all four teams winning their respective divisions in the Essex League and the Mens Singles team also winning their division. The Mens 2^nd team also won the Essex Junior Cup Division 2.  Not to be outdone the Ladies 2^nd team won the Essex Junior Cup, a feat last accomplished 33 years ago. The Ladies Veterans were also winners of division 1. 

As always when someone new steps into a role, the initial enthusiasm creates plenty of activity. This was the case with the social functions which included a valentines disco, trivial pursuit, quiz evening, barbecues, Indian and Italian evenings and once again the fun day which over the years had various names, such as ‘Garden Party’, ‘Summer Fete’, ‘Grand Opening’ (if there was something to open), but all ending up with one outcome, being everyone enjoying themselves.

Mens Singles finalists David Jaques and Neil Walker

The lighting on courts 5 to 8 had become very poor with several strip lamps failing. The delay on the replacement of the lighting system was awaiting the result of a National Lottery application. Eventually the Club received £15000 from the lottery so replacement of lighting on courts 5 to 8 and additional lighting to courts 3 and 4 were completed. An official opening event was held in October. 

A long serving member, life member and former auditor, Mr A Filkins, died in May. Alan’s Sunday morning ritual was playing social tennis with his Dunlop Maxply racket, long after wooden rackets had gone out of fashion, followed by newspaper, pipe and a few pints, comfortably positioned in his deckchair which he brought to the Club each week in his car. 

Alan Filkins in his Sunday morning pose

Mr K Stephens officiated his last Ratings Tournament as referee. Having organised the event for the past 14 years, he felt the event needed an injection of new life. The event started as the ‘Pernod Ratings Tournament’ in 1985, in 1986 changing sponsors to ‘Volkswagen’ until 1993. ‘The Travel Club of Upminster’ had been sponsors from 1985 but from 1994 had been the sole sponsors of the event.

The table tennis members would become more a part of the Club, as currently only each team paid a subscription to cover affiliation fees. Each player would be a Club member, with a representative officiating on the Committee; hence the position of Table Tennis Secretary was re-appointed.

Caricature of Keith Stephens

1999

A goodwill gesture was offered to Grosvenor Tennis Club providing the facility to join our members for social playing times during the period that their courts and floodlights were being installed. This offer was gratefully accepted. 

The Club received news of the death of Mr J Saw, who had emigrated to Canada. A former social and life member, John had been the Bar Secretary from 1986 to 1993. The Club was like a second home to John and his dog, 'Lady'.