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Ladies 1 & 2 both won their divisions in the Essex League as did Mens 1, with two
of the remaining three Mens teams gaining promotion as runners-up.
In 1991 a small sub-committee led by Bill Low reorganised the layout of the
clubhouse to provide more space for the Club's growing membership.
The start of the 1992 season saw synthetic grass on Courts 3 & 4 so giving the
Club four, with four shale courts. The shale courts remained the favoured surface
of many of the older Club members but their maintenance was expensive and
suggestions were already being put forward to consider alternatives, which
would give year round play.
1993 saw the start of an incredible run of ten Ladies Singles titles won by Rosie
Kurton. At 15 years of age, she was still eligible to play in the Junior events
and won the Girls Doubles title with Claire Wilson as well!! At the other end
of the age scale Jim Malcolm won the National Veterans Mens Doubles Over 70
Championships at Wimbledon.
At the beginning of 1994 a series of meetings took place to examine carefully the
key elements in the Club's organisation - Match teams, coaching. Intermediate
section, Mid-week section and playing-in procedures. The Club membership had
been steadily increasing over the previous ten years producing members looking
to play more tennis more often. It was necessary to recognise that Brentwood
Tennis Club had grown from a medium to a large club and the importance of
preserving the underlying features of it's success while catering for changing
demands. No longer was tennis a summer game played with wooden rackets at
the weekend! Planning permission was obtained to floodlight Courts 3 & 4 and
the installation was completed in January 1995. At the AGM, members voted to
convert Courts 5 & 6 from shale to synthetic grass.
1995 commenced with second thoughts being raised about converting shale
courts. A sufficient number of members requested a Special General Meeting,
held at the end of July, to consider the matter, with Mike Roberts presenting the
'shale retention' case. The Committee supported the AGM view, and, after a full
debate, the original decision was confirmed by a 3 to 2 ratio majority. Courts
5 & 6 were resurfaced to synthetic grass during September and October; ready
for winter play. Links with Shenfield High School (via Judy Belchamber) and St
Helen's Junior School (via Sheila Farley) were established - the latter being
coached by Peter Thompson.
During 1996 the two All Weather courts (1 & 2) were converted to synthetic grass,
making six with four floodlit, and leaving two (7 & 8) as shale. By the Autumn
of the following year it was 'reported that the shale courts have not been used
much this season and ... time we replaced them with another surface'
In 1997 the County Ground received a 'bombshell' from W. S. Atkins Property
Services when they advised that in their opinion the open market rent for the
ground was £23,000 and that they were advising Essex County Council (the
Landlords) accordingly. This was an increase from the existing rent of £500. It