Sir – Oxford City Council are considering closing one of their three remaining squash courts. They wish to build a spinning studio and a soft play area at the Ferry Centre which requires the closure of a squash court. I am not against the provision of a spinning studio or a soft play area, but I hope they will decide against closing the court. The three courts at the Ferry Centre are well used. The most recent figures show they are 94 per cent utilised at peak-time and 78 per cent at weekends. In other words, at the times people want to use them, they are effectively full.

Because there are three courts at the Ferry Centre, it is possible to hold coaching sessions and competitions there. With only two courts that would be impossible. Volunteers organise squash leagues at the Ferry Centre and that is no doubt partly why the courts are so well used.

Since the courts are already effectively fully used, if one court is removed, the vibrant squash leagues will have to be diminished. Many fewer people will be able to participate in the sport. The leagues are a great way for youngsters to develop their skills and the current Oxfordshire under-11 and under-13 champion plays in them. Several other promising juniors play squash at the Ferry Centre. The experience at other sites which have reduced the number of courts to under three is that they lose their accreditation to England Squash and Racketball (the national body for squash), tournaments can no longer be run there and the players have to find other places to play, or give up the game.

The argument against keeping the three courts at the Ferry Centre is that the soft play area and the spinning studio would facilitate more visits by the public to the Ferry Centre than would keeping the three courts. That may be true but as a consequence Oxford would lose its only remaining viable council-owned centre for squash.

Jonathan Clark, Oxford