The Rugby Fives courts at Merchant Taylors’ School are being demolished this summer, to make way for a new Geography teaching block.

The good news is that the school are committed to building a new block of fives & squash courts, which will (at a conservative estimate) be opened by 2020.

The bad news is that the powers that be at MTS are currently planning that this new block will comprise of 4 squash courts and only 2 fives courts.

We've started this petition to ask that, if you want to see fives continue to thrive at Merchant Taylors’, please lend your support by adding your signature so we can show the school just how many people would like to see 4 courts over 2. This is hugely important for the students, for fives players and for the sport as a whole. Please take a minute to read the reasons why below.

I'm Daniel Grant - I was a student at MTS from 1997-2003 and I fell in love with fives. It changed my life. I was the first student to ever win the Rugby Fives Schools Nationals and that set me on a path which has seen me coach fives at MTS and other schools, and then play a similar sport for Great Britain all around the world. It has introduced me to some of my finest friends and provided limitless great memories. Fives is an old but magnificent sport. The experiences and opportunities can't be quantified easily, but I know my life is all the richer for it. I hope this petition will help more people have their own personal and amazing experiences too. 

The arguments for 4 fives courts and 2 squash courts:

We love squash (not as much as fives, mind), but contend that this allocation would be the wrong decision for the school for a number of reasons:

- MTS actually had four squash courts but, as proof of the lack of demand, have in recent years refurbished two of them: one is now a dojo and the other a strength & conditioning gym

- MTS Fives have many more fixtures than MTS Squash, across all age groups

- Each day the fives courts entertain between 20-30 boys at both lunchtimes and after school sessions, overseen by a qualified coach. Squash is only played during games sessions, and participation is extremely low.

- Squash is primarily played as singles only, whereas fives can easily accommodate 4 or more boys per court quite comfortably with little risk to health & safety.

- There are a number of venues in the locality of MTS that have 4 or more squash courts. Having 4 squash courts does not make MTS a special venue for the sport, nor does it give the school a USP.

- Four new state-of-the-art fives courts in North London would mean so much for the future of fives. Aside from hosting the President’s Cup (as we have done for the past 58 years), new courts would undoubtedly attract the attention of many more national tournaments.

- There is a huge amount of good will to create an outreach program for fives at MTS. Organisations such as the RFA and UK Wallball are working hard with volunteers to bring hand ball sports to a wider audience. Boys, girls, men & women of all ages and abilities would benefit from four new fives courts in such an accessible location

I know that many people will have great memories of playing fives at MTS. Those of you that haven’t played on our courts will nevertheless appreciate the importance of a 4 court enclosed venue located next to a London Underground tube station.

Help us to rejuvenate fives in the right way at MTS, which will in turn help us to keep the sport alive in the country.