Colets, Thames Ditton
The Club owns a fifteen acre sports ground at Thames Ditton. The day to day running of the operation at Thames Ditton is managed by a separate company, Colets, which incorporates a commercially run squash and fitness centre with a newly opened swimming pool, whilst also maintaining a modern clubhouse which is open to all Old Paulines. All Old Pauline members are eligible to become social members of "Colets", providing only that they sign a proxy and consent form available from the Old Pauline Club Office. Many sporting activities are organised through its affiliated clubs both at the School and at the ground at Thames Ditton.
Superb Long Room takes shape at Thames Ditton
Visitors to Thames Ditton cannot fail to be impressed by the latest addition to the Club's buildings - the glass wall which has been built to enclose what has already become known as the 'Long Room' on the first floor of the Club House. Regular visitors can rest assured that the viewing balcony survives and still provides excellent views over the rugby and cricket pitches. The glass wall improves dramatically the rest of the space outside the main bar area, and the room is sure to become a popular venue for meetings and social occasions of all kinds at Colets.The majority of the funds required for this building project were raised by the Old Pauline sports clubs that use the grounds at Thames Ditton and their individual members. Thanks in particular are due to Ray Burton who co-ordinated the fund-raising effort and to Nick Carr who has overseen the construction work which took place in August.
For the more technically minded, the project saw the construction of a glass curtain wall comprising blue powder coated double-glazed units with 16 top-hung ventilation windows. There are six doors - three are standard doors with lever handles and locks and three are escape doors with push bars. The glazing is bronze-tinted Low-E toughened safety glass in sealed panels. The work was carried out by Insight Architectural Glazing
This is the first step in completing the Long Room project and has created a weather-tight area. Further work is required to sub-divide the room to create a highly flexible space and to provide finishes to the floor, walls and ceiling.