Church halls or Purpose built complex?

[rachyuk]

I was just wondering how many of you out there still watch their one court club night from a stage, huddled around a heater in the winter and eating 'badminton teas' served from the kitchen hatch!! The big old style radiators overhanging the outside tramline.
At the end of the evening, everything gets packed up and stored under the stage!!

Or are you now playing in a purpose built sports hall, where no food or drink can be consumed and brought into the hall, viewing can take place from viewing gallery two floors up or from a slither of floor space between the back line and the wall, just big enough for a bench, but not much else.

The courts are set up for you by the centere staff, who at the end of the evening walk across the back of your game and dismantle the empty courts around you!

Funny thing progress!

[Martin Dew-Hattens]

Funny things those old halls.

During my Universtity days I was on "external training" down in Weymouth or more exactly Portland Bill. (the place where they built the bouncing bomb).

The little church hall there was actually measured to be two feet short at one end. If you hit it to long you hit the wall!!

Those where the simple days .......

[MichaelHindley]

What a lovely story Martin!

[lemmingdelf]

Are those were the days Martin,i often play in church halls in club matches late at night and find it hard to see the shuttle when you are looking into the candles.

[MKCGavin]

Purpose built Hall and glad about it too! Our center staff are considerate, there is plenty of room around the benches and we also have an observation gallery. Most importantly of all however is the lighting in the hall is superb.

That's Clements Hall in Hawkwell in Essex incase you're wondering.

[michael123]

Gavin

Whilst Clements Hall is good, we also have excellant facilities provided at the Fitzwimarc School in Rayleigh.

Our 70 members really enjoy the facilities on our two club nights Tuesdays and Fridays. Long may it continue.

However I do remember the old one court halls at; Rawreth, Rayleigh Christchurch, Bleak lodge, Belchamps, Park Road, Belle Vue plus others.

We are so well served with halls in Southend and District it is such a pity we can't find clubs to play in them.

Mike Worship
Fitzwimarc Badminton Club

[Eddie0110]

Yes Mike I remember those halls to!. It was a different time. The guide hall in electric ave with the iron stove who could forget it!, and also the pleasant chat and tea. Do young players today want that kind of thing?.
Interestingly enough from the Rochford web site it appears that Rayleigh Christchurch are still alive.

http://www.rochford.gov.uk/CouncilDivisions/
ArtsLeisure/sports_directory/badminton.htm

Who remembers Highlands Methodist Church with the back line up the wall!
Interestingly enough the club there still appears to exist.

http://www.leigh-on-sea.com/sports%20facilities.htm

and

http://www.locallife.co.uk/southend/badminton3.asp

Would matches there be allowed now?

How many little clubs around England are there still playing and enjoying badminton but are not competive. How can we involve them?

[Balmforthk]

Of the 18 clubs in our League, 6 still play in one-court church halls. The rest play in either sports centres or school halls.

My club plays in one of the church halls. We have 4 teams, in the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 8th divisions.

And yes, Rachel, at the end of the evening, everything is packed away into cupboards (except the posts).

Kevin.

[gjsims]

I do sometimes miss playing in the 1 court church halls. I now play at Horsham Arun on our own courts in a dedicated hall. There was something a bit more social about playing in low ceilinged, freezing, too small for badminton halls. The food was certainly better. However, all it takes is a crappy game that goes to the third end with a let call every other point resulting in the match finishing at 2am and I am immediately purged of all nostalgia.

[mrstarface]

I certainly dont miss playing in those dingy church halls with no height of space around the court. And having 1 court for a match just shouldnt be allowed these days! Nothing worse than waiting an hour+ between games....

[Titanium]

Agreed with Matthew above. No club with crap courts - low ceilings narrow halls ie v.close 2 court lines should be allowed as it amounts 2 crap games crap players n not 2 mention a risk 2 any decent player health n safety. I use 2 play in leagues n was frustrating playing in those conditions.

BAofE should strike em out!!!

[AJni]

At our club we still have one team that play in a division were play in a church hall will be needed. I actually play in that team and do so for the craic and social aspect.
I also play in a league were play is in the national badminton centre just outside Belfast and find that there is little or no interaction between teams. Probably due to the larger hall.

[bevisj]

One court halls is what league Badminton is all about.

When I started playing league (Winchester Division 6), we were the only club with a two court hall. I quite enjoyed playing the shuttle through the beams.

The social aspect of having to sit down with your team and the opposition and watch the match is actually very good. You learnt from watching the game and there was actually some social interaction. None of this turning up, playing your three games and going home within an hour and a half.

An hour+ wait between games gives you the chance to nip across the road to the pub or go and get pizza / chips.

Also one court halls have character. If the hall isn't big enough, paint the lines up the wall (I've seen it done).

I did run into a big old style iron radiator at Colbury Memorial Hall once though. The clearance from the court was about two and a half inches. The trip to casualty, three days off work and ongoing dodgy knee (after 6 years) was not so nice.

On balance though, more one court halls please. In Basingstoke there don't seem to be any left.

[coops]

on court halls, hmmm - what an interesting topic. compared to some on here i am very young at the tender age of 23, but i have played local league badminton since i was 16. My first ever match was in a church hall with plastic shuttles. What an interesting experience! although i do have to agree with the comments about team spirit and learning from watching the game. That team with the Church Hall still exists now, but many have fallen by the wayside - simply because members wanted better facilities. Now there is just the one club with a one court church hall, and a couple that hire school hall's. Most of these have 2 courts but now the larger schools and colleges have 4. However a large no. of clubs in our league share the same venue - i think it's about 4/5 teams now - although this venue does have 18 courts... and then another venue has 5 courts between two clubs. As to which i prefer..... difficult to say - the only time i don't like playing somewhere is when the walls are so close that i'm terrified of taking anything close to the lines, or ceilings so low that i can't flick serve. apart from that i'm happy whatever the weather.

Stay fit and enjoy the season

Neil