Prospects for Squash

A fortnight ago the Sports Club sent the correspondence attached to a group of local and South of Scotland MSPs and MPs regarding the future for squash in Scotland.

We have received some responses and there is now a motion from Finlay Carson MSP about funding to assist squash clubs tabled in the Scottish Parliament and letters from MSPs, Donald Cameron, Joan McAlpine and Michelle Ballantyne have been sent to the Scottish Sports Minister, Joe FitzPatrick, which also raise the current squash guidelines.

The Sports Club and Squash committees will keep you updated about any further responses.

"Like many sports clubs we have been significantly affected by the coronavirus pandemic but as our main sport and revenue stream is squash we have fared much worse than others."

"In common with other sports we had to cease playing squash in March and as other sports started to open up again, for us tennis and cricket, squash continued to be unavailable to our members. "

"We are concerned not only for our financial viability but also for our squash playing members. "

"I would simply and respectfully ask that each of you give whatever support you can to canvass the Scottish Government on behalf of our Club and the many others throughout Scotland who find themselves in a similar position."

"If there is no change to current guidance in Scotland we will see very quickly an increasing number of squash clubs opening to full squash with a variety of health and safety measures and also, I fear, a number simply closing their doors for good."

John Glendinning,
Chairman, Dumfries Sports Club