Fram rounds up a week at the British Nationals …
I am extremely grateful to a person I don’t know, my sponsor, who brought me to the British Nationals at St George’s Hill this week, paid for all my expenses, and provided my accommodation. He doesn’t want to be known, so I need to thank Ian Bullough, the intermediate gentleman who introduced him to my work, as it led to the sponsorship.
More importantly, Ian is Anabelle’s dad; you might have read her articles about Gouna and about the British. You’ll be reading her next article in a few days, as she spent the whole week at the club for the tournament!
Ian is one of the event’s sponsors and was kind enough to provide me with a seat for the entire tournament from his allocated sponsor seating. You know me and my autism, I need to have the same seat booked to produce acceptable work. And Ian supports squash as much as he can, but mostly, he is always there when an urgent good deed is necessary:
Some of you might remember Alex Couch, the former St George’s coach, who, a few years ago, suffered not one, but two strokes, leading him to be partially paralysed – hemiplegic.
Thanks to Ian and Mark, members at St George’s launched an appeal, which collected £ 30,000, allowing Matt O’Grady, St George’s physio, to work closely with Alex. And a few weeks ago, St George’s Board voted unanimously for Alex to become an Lifetime Honorary Membership. Best idea ever, we say.
Back at St George’s
I can’t express how happy I am to be back in a Club I have been visiting – and loving – since 2003. Yes, that long. Some of my readers weren’t even born… It was wonderful to be back here, one of my favourite clubs in the world.
St George’s is one of the Jewels of the Squash Community. All the members must play Tennis or/and Squash with the formal ‘all white’ directive. Personally, I love it, it reminds me of my own club in Tananarive, Madagascar (Sports Club). Love it me.
Also, for years, it managed to keep phone signals and wifi out of the club – only in recent years can you can actually receive internet via waves. And about that, let me tell you a little story.
Breaking out of St Georges
When the 2012 British Open qualifying rounds/first rounds were played at St George’s, while the main rounds were played at the O2 – there was no place for us to work except in the top office above the swimming pool, above everybody else, with ethernet cables providing out internet, Steve and I were working away one evening, and when we decided to call it a night, closed laptops, and got out of the office, everything was quiet and dark.
They completely forgot about us. We were alone in the club, and locked in.
Because I knew the club pretty well as my ex was spending a lot of time there, I tried to lead Cubs to the reception, but of course, he HAD to push a door, which started the alarm! No panic, just follow me, I said. We made our way to reception, at the time, you could push the metal bar, and exit. Which we did. And closed the doors behind us, while the alarm was ringing in our ears!
Back in the car, we were driving out of the club – with all our bags in the back as we were making our way towards the O2 – when a police car came in front of us, and stopped us. Steve and I stopped breathing. We were done. “You are not the ones we are looking for” they smiled. “OH YES WE ARE”, laughed Cubs as we were driving away.
Of course, we saw a lot of police cars coming in the opposite direction for a few miles, and we kept sniggering nervously, thinking we might be heading to a police station…
Back to 2025
As I said, St George’s is a gem of a club. From the people at the bar to every single person working at the Club, the respect, kindness, spotless changing room, facilities… I just love it.
The fact that the club boasts a glass court makes it a special place for the South East Squash, and of course, for the whole country. The players can train on there, giving them a great advantage on PSA tour as most of the tournaments happen on glass now, competitions can be organised, allowing squash fans to have their fix of their favourite sport.
So a great thank you to St George’s for allowing our Sport to be displayed on that court!
Squash, now and then, the Book!
What a lovely surprise to have on site one of my favourite BodyBuilders, Mr Andrew Shelley. He was there to promote his book, an extraordinary research and fun “Bible about Squash”, from the beginning of our sport to our present…
Christmas will be here soon, what a perfect gift…
Road Works
My presence seems to bring chaos everywhere I go and this time was no different. There are long term roadworks all around the Cobham Hilton where we were staying, but on the way back on the first night we were greeted with a “road closed” sign a mile or on the road to the club.
The Uber took a 20m drive to approach the Hotel on another road only to be blocked again! We ended up walking to the hotel, dark night, phone lamp and luggage. And it was the case the whole of our stay! Thank the Lord for Ian and his daughter that took us there a few times..
The players
It was a great privilege to be able to watch players I never saw, or that I hadn’t seen for a while. I discovered the two younger Malik Brothers, Bailey and Heston. Remember the names.
I knew Curtis of course, a player I enjoyed watching on the Tour already, and truly loved my little Torrie. She is going to be big. She just needs a bit of mental work, to relax, and trust the talent she doesn’t seem to realise she has.
I also was very impressed by the young 19 year old Welsh player, Ellie Breach. There again, remember the name.
Fire Alarm
Funnily enough, we did spend a few times in that hotel during Channel Vas, before it was given a bit of a refurbishment, and it’s much nicer now!
Funny moment, the fire alarm, which seems to be a bit too efficient.
Here I am styling my hair – not even drying it, just styling, less than 3m.
Knock at the door, insistent, loud, so I go and open, a lovely young receptionist goes “sorry, madam, but we just had a fire alarm from your room, do you mind if I check? Seeing me half naked and with my air brush in hand, “Were you using a hairdryer?”…As I nod, she goes “sorry, our system is a bit sensitive”.
It could have been worse. Last time I was there, a few years back, I was butt and top naked when Wendy Denzel opened the door as she was given my room by mistake…
There was a lovely couple of kids who were supporting Joel and Jonah with lovely drawings. But one funny detail was that I seem to have noticed (I could be wrong), that it was one side Joel, and of the other side of the paper, Jonah.
So when they were both playing against each other, I had the impression that the young girl was turning the paper on one side, then on the other side.
And may that be the closing lesson for this event: don’t be like a Trump in this world. Be more like that little girl, who knows that love is endless, can be shared, and will save our world.
See you next year.
