Chairman’s Message

The start of the year brings many new developments and news.

I would like to thank both the Club and management teams for the way they have dealt with the recent heavy rainfall. Our long-term investment in irrigation and water management across the golf course and wider site has proven highly effective. However, with the increasing pattern of prolonged summer droughts and heavy winter rainfall, continued investment in this area will be necessary in the foreseeable future.

In 2025, we completed the major refurbishment of the Members’ Bar, Function Rooms and Terrace areas. It is extremely encouraging to see a significant increase in Member usage as a result. Event bookings, as well as Bistro Night (Thursday and Fridays), food and beverage volumes, are all performing strongly. As we look ahead to the spring and summer seasons, we are carefully reviewing capacity management. This is a positive challenge to face, and we expect the Members’ Bar and Terrace areas to be particularly popular. We are therefore exploring options to ensure we can accommodate demand effectively — including potential enhancements to the Piazza areas, building on the success we enjoyed last summer.

Masterplan 2035 — Current Projects

Usage across all sports, health club and social areas remains high. Members are actively engaging with the Club, and that is very encouraging to see. Our waiting list remains exceptionally strong, and with fewer Members choosing to leave, we are now facing the challenge of managing a waiting list that may become too long — a positive issue, but one that requires careful consideration this year.

We remain committed to clear medium-term objectives and to listening closely to member feedback. Our investment programme is designed to maintain key assets while addressing potential future capacity constraints. Member surveys and Committee input continue to play an invaluable role in refining priorities and demonstrating progress.

The Board recognises that the proposed development projects represent significant investment. We must align these ambitions with the Club’s financial capacity, and we will not take undue risks with its long-term viability. Large projects will not run concurrently without careful consideration, and we will seek to minimise periods of overlap wherever possible.

Indoor Golf Centre (IGC)

We are pleased that Wandsworth Council has approved our planning application for a 10-bay, single-tier Indoor Golf Centre. Following a consultation process that saw over 1,700 responses — with just under 80% in favour — we will begin construction after the Gold Cup event in April. Completion is expected in Q1 2027.

There will inevitably be some site disruption during this period, and we are working to mitigate the impact wherever possible. The safety netting necessary to go alongside the 1st tee to protect the IGC and the new Short Game Practice area construction is being installed next week. This will remain in place as permanent safety protection from wayward golf balls.

As discussed at the AGM, and following the successful Members’ Bar, Terrace, Café and Kitchen projects, we will continue to make considered investments in strategic assets. While there will be short-term inconvenience, we firmly believe the long-term benefits to Members will far outweigh the disruption. We ask for your patience during the construction phase.

Padel and Pickleball — Working Group

Padel continues to grow in popularity, and we recognise the need to increase court availability to better meet Member demand. We are currently exploring the addition of a five-court covered Padel Hub, likely located on tennis courts 4 to 6, adjacent to the IGC.

Over the past two years, we have engaged extensively with planners and have received positive verbal feedback as part of the pre-application process. There remain matters to address as we move toward a formal planning application.
If approval is granted, we will consider commencing work either in late summer 2026 or following completion of the IGC in 2027. Beginning in 2026 would allow construction phases to run in parallel, potentially avoiding two separate periods of disruption. However, this must be carefully balanced against IGC costs and the impact on tennis court availability during the summer season.

We expect to update Members with a clearer position in Q2.
Pickleball also remains popular. In the short term, this activity will continue to be managed in collaboration with the Tennis Committee as we work to achieve the right balance of court usage. We will continue to explore both short- and long-term options to support its growth.

Social Engagement — Family-Friendly Piazza Transformation

Following our recent investments in the Clubhouse, we have seen a significant increase in social usage across the Club. Encouraging greater member engagement was a core objective of those improvements. The next step is to consider how we further utilise our outstanding site to enhance member satisfaction while thoughtfully increasing food and beverage capacity.

We believe the Piazza is a wonderful yet underutilised asset. Last summer marked the beginning of a meaningful transformation, and we intend to build on that momentum this year. While there was some initial opposition, the big TV screen for live sporting events proved extremely popular and will return this summer.

We are now exploring enhancements including improved seating, additional artificial turf to reduce heat retention, increased shade provision, and further planting to elevate the overall aesthetic. We will look to provide extra refreshment outlets in the area to complement our current provision. As with the big screen, these initiatives will be trialled over the summer. If successful, we will look to refine and develop them further in future seasons.

125 Festival of Events

Founded in 1901 as a Polo, Croquet and Archery Club, 2026 marks our 125th year. To celebrate this milestone, each section has developed a programme of special events and activities throughout the year. The breadth and creativity of what has been proposed is truly impressive.

I strongly encourage all Members to review the full programme on the notice boards and website — particularly our flagship Summer Party on Saturday 27th June and Family Day on Sunday 28th June, which promise to be the highlights of the year (tickets on sale from Monday 2nd March).

Click here for the 125 Festival of Events brochure

Potential Future Developments (Post Current Three-Year Plan)

After three consecutive years of significant investment — Café (2023), Kitchen and infrastructure (2024), and Function Rooms, Bar and Terrace (2025) — we will now pause further Clubhouse development. Our focus will shift toward optimising and operating these enhanced facilities as effectively as possible.

Early indications suggest these projects have been highly successful, with notable increases in bookings and member usage. However, this increased demand is placing pressure on staffing and kitchen production capacity, particularly during the busy late spring and summer months. Careful operational planning will therefore be essential.

Some have asked why continued infrastructure investment is necessary? To rebuild the Clubhouse today would likely cost in the region of £40 million, with site depreciation alone approximately £1.7 million per year. Much of the plant and infrastructure dates to the building’s opening over 55 years ago, and certain systems still require renewal. In time, we may consider enhancements to reception, changing rooms and the front elevation — but only after a period of consolidation.

We are also seeing rising Member expectations around digital engagement and communication. While modern booking, court/course management and membership systems exist, there is currently no single comprehensive solution. A dedicated IT working group has been formed to assess how best to integrate digital systems into our broader membership strategy. This evolution is essential, but we will approach it in a measured and thoughtful way

Membership

The Board is reviewing membership levels considering historical trends and our 2024 AGM commitment to maintain a cap of 5,000 active sporting Members (approximately 4,000 adults and 1,000 juniors).

Member retention has strengthened significantly. Combined with the cap on total numbers, this has reduced the number of available adult places from approximately 200 annually to around 80 this year. At the same time, application levels are at an all-time high — with approximately 70 new adult applicants added to the waiting list in January alone.

Given these dynamics, we will undertake a broader review of membership strategy over the next five to ten years. Post-COVID, usage per member across golf, tennis, studios and the health club has increased materially. There is a valid argument for reducing overall numbers to preserve access and experience — though doing so would lengthen waiting times and affect cash flow. Any such decision would only be taken following careful financial modelling and consideration of mitigating measures.

Board and Committee

The Board and Committees remain the foundation of our Club. As a private members’ club, we benefit enormously from the expertise and dedication of our membership. Continued engagement is essential to both short- and long-term success.

We are committed to broad representation and actively encourage individuals of diverse ages, backgrounds and professional experience to consider serving. This year, two Directors will step down (one at end of term and one due to relocation), and three existing Directors are standing for re-election. If you are interested in contributing at Board or Committee level in the future, please do let us know.

Financial Wellbeing

The Club remains financially strong, despite ongoing economic and political uncertainty. Following substantial recent investment all the signs are, subject to our annual audit being finalised next month, we have achieved our budgeted EBITDA for 2025 reflecting disciplined financial and risk management over many years.

Forecasting inflation remains challenging. While we expect general inflation to stabilise, core cost areas — particularly wages, energy and food — remain elevated. Subscription levels will therefore continue to be set with care to manage these pressures while safeguarding the Club’s long-term financial stability.

Leadership and Thanks

In May 2025, Marc Newey informed the Board of his intention to retire at the end of August 2026. Over the past 18 years, the Club has been transformed under Marc’s leadership and is now widely regarded as one of the leading clubs in the country. I will formally acknowledge his achievements at the AGM, and we will also host a dinner in September with previous Board Directors to mark his departure. There will be a leaving drinks evening on September 29th for Members to say farewell as well. He leaves the Club in a significantly stronger position than when he arrived, and we owe him a great deal of thanks.

Our succession process is now well advanced. Given the necessary confidentiality, I am limited in what I can share at this stage, but I can say that we attracted a broad and highly talented field of candidates.

Finally, my sincere thanks to my family, friends and fellow Members for your continued support, encouragement and constructive feedback.

Warm regards,
Michael Hill
Chair of the Board of Directors

chair@roehamptonclub.co.uk