New Constantinidi Eton Fives Centre Officially Opened
Alex Knight reports:
11/03/25: On Saturday (8th March) a mixture of sixty Old Etonians, current and former Eton staff, and EFA officers past and present met to witness the official opening of the Constantinidi Eton Fives Centre at Eton College by the school’s new Provost, Sir Nicholas Coleridge.
The event was organised by the Vice Provost, Peter McKee, who welcomed everyone gathered for speeches by the steps of the Centre in sunshine so glorious that Sir Nicholas commented it was evidence that “God must be a Fives player!”
The Provost pointed out that Michael Constantinidi, an Old Etonian and former EFA Chairman whose bequest paid for the Centre and the reroofing of all 16 of Eton’s courts, never sought the limelight but that this Centre was fitting recognition of his lifelong support for Eton Fives both at Eton and beyond it. He thanked Hopkins the Centre’s architects, Charles Marsden-Smedley who designed its interior, and Alex Knight who curated the images and text, and expressed gratitude to many others who contributed to its creation including Bill Norton, Eleanor Hoare, Archie Cameron-Blackie, Dale Vargas and Simon de Zoete.
Simon de Zoete then spoke on behalf of the Old Etonian Fives Club, noting that the previous day the Club had celebrated the 100th anniversary of its creation, a fact recorded in the 1924 Fives Keeper’s Book which was on display in the Centre. He thanked all of those who had kept the club going, and quoted an Eton master from the 1870’s, Henry Salt, who wrote that “the evolution of the Eton Fives court was the most valuable contribution ever made by the School to the well-being of mankind.” Simon noted the support of the previous Provost, Lord Waldegrave, in the creation of the Centre, and expressed a hope that the Vice Provost would continue to act as a champion for Fives within the school.
Antony Constantinidi, Michael’s nephew, then spoke on behalf of his uncle before Richard Dennis expressed his thanks to Michael and the College on behalf of the Eton Fives Association and the whole Eton Fives community. Attendees were then encouraged to view the Centre whilst a delicious lunch was served (but not cut or returned) in Court 9.
The CEFC, which is sited in the building between Eton’s two banks of Fives courts, comprises a downstairs Club Room, display area and catering facilities, and an upstairs Players’ Lounge, Coach’s office, restrooms and balcony area. The view from the balcony currently shows a huge building site where the Sports Hall used to stand, with work on construction of the new Hall continuing apace and due to be completed in 2027.
