As part of our stories on Squash in parts of the world, we look at Kent, but the North section of the UK market towns with a vibrant Squash community.
To describe Kent, affectionately dubbed ‘The garden of England’ the first you think of is the greenery – however, you would be wrong as Squash is a popular sport in the area.
View of Aylesford village in Kent, England with medieval bridge and church.
Kent is one of the many few counties with excellent transport access to Central London, but in the context of Squash, Bromley’s Churchill Theatre based on Kent/South London border was home to the British Open, one of the major UK Squash tournaments, back in the 1980s.
Ironically, the Deal Squash Club is the oldest/longest established Squash club in Kent and still operating today with a single Squash court.
Since then Squash in North Kent has continued to thrive with more venues with one or more courts.
Modern day venues with social appeal
Even though there are many Squash clubs in Kent areas our focus is on Mid-Kent and North Kent – not Bromley, Bexley, and Beckenham, as they come under Kent but they come under the region of London.
The one thing, we have noticed with Squash in North West Kent there is plenty of clubs to join and play Squash. However, in terms of the best venues there are some that have quite unique about them and excellent reviews on Google:
Tunbridge Well Squash & Rackets Club
Official Logo (Image credit Tunbridge Wells Squash & Rackets Club)
Out of the sports in this fine town of Kent, Squash is the most popular activity to participate in this stylish suburb of North Kent. The Tunbridge Well Squash & Rackets Club is a private members club with three squash courts, a bar open on weeknights and Saturdays and a range of squash, racquetball and social activities.
Courts & Social area of Tunbridge Wells Squash and Racket Club (Photo credit: Tunbridge Wells Squash and Racket Club)
If you like competitive Squash, there are excellent internal “box” leagues, which operate throughout the year. Furthermore, the club has both men’s and women’s teams competing at all levels of the North West Kent Squash League including the premier division.
As for grassroots, the club has an outstanding junior squash academy, and individual coaching is available for players of all levels.
Hythe Cricket & Squash Club
The Hythe Cricket & Squash Club is a friendly club with a warm atmosphere and welcomes new members.
Despite this, some time ago, the Hythe Cricket & Squash Club was on the cusp of closure – but thanks to community support the venue survived.
Squash Courts (Photo credit: Hythe Cricket & Squash Club)
Initially, the club was a cricket club, but by the 1970s the Club had increased with the addition of a bar, and two squash courts – which saw an active Squash section of the venue and has continued to thrive with a friendly but competitive inter-club league and a squash committee.
Rodmersham Squash & Fitness Club
Now we like Squash clubs attached to Fitness Clubs, as they are good for both sport and local community as you usually get gym members always wanting to play Squash.
Compared to other Squash clubs in Kent, the club has six courts, which makes it the biggest squash club in Kent. Based in Sittingbourne, the Rodmersham Squash & Fitness Club is a unique squash and fitness club that offers a range of facilities and gym equipment for all abilities.
Upon reading the reviews on Google, the club offers a relaxed atmosphere and is open to members and non-members.
Canterbury Squash Rackets Club
Official Logo (image credit: Canterbury Squash Rackets Club
Canterbury is one of the most popular tourist destinations to visit in the UK – but when it comes to Kent, the Canterbury Squash Rackets Club is one of the few premier squash clubs in Kent.
Just like the Tunbridge Wells Squash & rackets Club, it is a private squash members club, based at the same location for over 55 years at Giles Lane.
With four courts, (two of which are glass backed), their membership consists of a wide range of standards of players and currently there are over 150 members; with a strong emphasis solely on squash and game development.
Thanet Squash Racket Club
Established in 1951, this Broadstairs based Squash club has four fantastic Squash courts (2 glass-backed courts) with viewing areas.
Open 24 hrs a day, with internal leagues and teams competing in the Kent league, from they have players of all standards, including a 2013 Over 60’s National Champion, Rebecca Czuczman (National Championships, Manchester).
Other facilities include a Bar open evenings Monday to Saturday, a sauna, and a fully equipped gym.
The Mote Squash Club
Players on court at the Mote Squash Club (photo credit: Mote Squash Club)
Situated in Maidstone on the grounds of The Mote Cricket Club next to Mote, is another private members club in Kent.
The club offers a wide range of sporting and social activities, including squash, racketball (Squash 57), table tennis, and fitness classes.
There is a stylish and modern bar that is open weeknights from 5pm, and is busy at weekends. The club is available for hire for parties and private functions for members. The club balcony enjoys wonderful views across the grounds and is the ideal spot for post-match refreshment.
If you looking to wind down with a game on Friday, the Mote has Club Nights on Friday and Sunday evenings.
In order to maintain your Squash fitness level, the club has fitness classes every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening, as well as women-only sessions.
When it comes to junior squash, there are organised group sessions based on ability on selected days in the week (after school) and Saturday mornings run by resident coach Ben Goodayle and his coaching team.
Their club teams compete in the North Kent Priory and South East Kent Leagues.
The club also hosts Graded Tournaments in singles, doubles, and racketball to make sure that competition is available for players of all ages and abilities; plus for juniors, there is the monthly Mid-Kent Junior competition.
Now with all these clubs, they are well known for great inter-club leagues but most importantly their social side too – which is a vital part of their pull when it comes to attracting new members; aligned with community engagement.
In light of these clubs, The Park Club was one that was the flagship of all Kent Squash clubs.
Located in Chatham, the Park Club was a charitable company whose focus is to get more people, more active, more often. In addition to Squash, the club offered a range of group exercise classes, a fully equipped gym, and a functional training area.
Local tournaments
Besides the inter-club leagues, there are a number Kent based Squash tournaments in which players have a great opportunity to compete with their fellow Kent natives in a competition with which clubs will looking win bragging rights.
Just like London Squash tournaments, Kent also hosts a number of PSA-sanctioned tournaments in partnership with the Kent Squash Association, for both seniors & juniors; some of the most notable ones are:
- The Danny Gamble Squash Open
- The Canterbury Open
- The Mote Open
- The Canterbury Junior Open
- The Poult Wood Junior Open
- Kent Squash Junior Closed
Recently, the Tunbridge Wells Squash Club hosted the Colin Payne Kent Open – in honour of the late Colin Payne, a British Open Over-50s champion and former professional player on the PSA World Tour.
Colin Payne Kent Open (credit: Kent Squash Association)
The tournament received positive media coverage on the BBC South East and was a wonderful tribute to a beloved Squash professional from Kent.
Final Thoughts
With five months to go until the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, there is no doubt that Squash is going to become even more popular again across many UK counties.
Now if you are Kent based Squash fan, know this the community is very close-knit and diverse; thus commonwealth games you can expect venues to be busy either playing Squash or watching it on local clubs cheering on England’s stars of Squash.
Overall, just like Birmingham and Central London – Kent is another great place to play Squash, and let’s hope that more venues such as an outdoor Squash court (hint, hint) are developed in the area dubbed the garden of England, as a means to increase participation in the county.
