New courts please – we’re serving up five hours of tennis a week for just £35 a year
Published: Thursday, 15 June, 2023
These stunning new tennis courts are ready for play today thanks to a partnership between Stroud District Council and the Lawn Tennis Association.
The £127,000 investment in Stratford Park’s public tennis courts has seen them resurfaced, new nets put up, and an online booking system and keyless entry.
The nationwide investment by the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation in opening up the sport to many more people means that a household or groups of family or friends of up to six people can all play for one annual payment of £35 per year at the courts in Stroud.
Players can book up to five hours of sessions per week at www.lta.org.uk/play. Alternatively an hour’s play costs £6.
“The benefits of sport on our physical and mental health are well-known and I am happy to see that this major improvement opens out tennis to as big a group of players as possible,” said SDC Community Services and Licensing Committee Chair, Councillor Beki Aldam.
Through the Parks Tennis Project, the LTA is delivering the biggest ever investment in parks tennis facilities across Britain, which has been used to transform six courts in Stratford Park, providing a significant boost to sporting facilities.
In addition to investment of £115,000 from the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation, £12,000 has been invested by Stroud District Council.
It means the old courts have been brought back to life and made more accessible to a wider group of people.
The courts have undergone extensive work to ensure viability for years to come, including resurfacing, repainting, new nets and a new gate system. This nationwide programme of investment is seeing thousands of existing park tennis courts in poor or unplayable condition brought back to life for the benefit of communities across the country, providing vital opportunities for children and adults to get active.
Committee Deputy Chair Trevor Hall added: “This investment means anyone can pick up a racket and enjoy playing tennis, in the beautiful surroundings of Stratford Park. Sport should be for all and this is a great example of that.”
In addition, Stroud District Council Health & Wellbeing Team Team is working with the LTA to provide a range of activity across the park sites, including weekly organised free park tennis sessions for all ages, playing levels and experience where equipment is provided. Local tennis leagues will also provide friendly, sociable, opportunities too.
Julie Porter, Chief Operating Officer at the LTA, said: “After months of hard work, we’re delighted to see these courts across officially back open to the public, and in better shape than ever.
“Public tennis courts are such vital facilities for getting active and we want as many people as possible, of all ages and abilities, to pick up a racket and enjoy playing tennis. Thanks to this investment the sport will be opened up to more players, for years to come.”
Stuart Andrew MP, Sports Minister, said: "We are committed to levelling up access to sport which is so important for the nation’s physical and mental health. The Government and the LTA are working together to deliver thousands of refurbished courts across Great Britain, supported by £30 million of investment including in Stroud.
"These improved tennis facilities in Stratford Park will provide the local community with fun opportunities to get active and potentially become the next Andy Murray or Emma Raducanu."