St George's Hill Lawn Tennis Club in Weybridge, Surrey, has removed its social media accounts following a public and member outcry over the culling of resident geese. The club employed a marksman to shoot eight Canada geese, including goslings, citing public health and safety concerns.
Neighbors reported hearing gunshots in the early hours of July 16, and later discovered the dead birds. Some residents claim to have found distressed surviving birds, including an adult goose and gosling, in the aftermath.
The club's decision has drawn criticism from both the public and its own members. Commentators online questioned the necessity of the cull, suggesting alternative methods for managing the birds and their mess. Some members stated they were not consulted and had generally been fond of the geese, despite occasional issues with droppings on the courts.
St George's Hill Lawn Tennis Club, which charges an annual membership fee of £2,664, had previously shared photos of the geese on its social media, including pictures of goslings in April of the previous year and a family on the courts in 2024. The removal of these accounts occurred shortly after the backlash intensified online.