It is an end of an era for Chesterfield Cylinders Table Tennis Club’s Hasland base.
The pavilion at the former Chesterfield Cylinders Sports and Social Club recreational facilities off Whitebank Close has housed the table tennis club since 1980, managed by Eric Hall the club secretary assisted by Ian Radford. First opened in 1938, it has now been condemned by Chesterfield Borough Council and is to be pulled down.
The four teams which played at the former site in the Chesterfield & District Table Tennis League are to relocate.
Three of the teams will now play at Barrow Hill Memorial Club and one will play at Morton under the name of Morton Merlins.
The closure of the pavilion also means the end of an era for development and coaching of young players at the site under the watchful eye of ETTA coach Mel Buxton.
Over the past 15 years one-to-one coaching at the pavilion has produced no less than one Olympian, Liam Pitchford, and four further England internationals Daniel Lowe, Sean Cullen, Lucy Davidson and Isobel Ashley.
In addition coaching at the pavilion has produced two Derbyshire men’s singles champions with Alan Fullwood and Jake Meikle taking the honours.
Former Olympian and Commonwealth Games Champion Alan Cooke and Nicola Deaton, the five times English Senior Champion, have both used the facilities the pavilion offered in the past for training sessions so I need to say no more other than the closure of the pavilion will be a sad loss for the development of table tennis players in the Chesterfield area.
Another team changing location for the new season will be Clay Cross who will now be sharing facilities with Bridge Street Methodists at Pilsley.
Any new player wishing to compete in the league should contact chairman Ron Chapman on (01246) 418998.
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