Winchelsea Tennis Association

Who we are

The Association was set up to build and run a public tennis court in Winchelsea.

Why Winchelsea needs a public tennis court

Despite the local popularity of the game in the Town, there has been no public tennis court in Winchelsea for many years and there is no public tennis court anywhere else in the parish (even though the parish covers four villages). Residents have had to join expensive private clubs or drive to public courts in Pett and Westfield. Of course, both of these options tend to exclude the young and those on low incomes without their own cars.

Given the lack of local tennis facilities, it is no surprise that, even before a court has been built, the Association is the largest sports club in Winchelsea and the only one whose membership is entirely of residents.

The purpose of a tennis court in Winchelsea is to provide more recreational opportunities for residents and a much needed youth sports facility within walking distance of home. Adult participation will be promoted by ladder-type competitions and an active social calendar. For children, there are plans for a regular weekend and holiday coaching programme. The school plans to use the court for mini-tennis.

It is envisaged that membership of the Association, once a court has been built, will cost about £40-50 a year for a family, which is in line with other public tennis courts in the district and very much cheaper than private clubs. The court will also be available for hire by the hour by non-members.

The site for the tennis court

There are not many sites in Winchelsea on which a tennis court could be constructed. Nine possibilities have been suggested and investigated. Read our assessments. By far the best site is an area of unused ground on the edge of the Cricket Field behind the New Hall.

Financing the tennis court

The Association has been engaged in raising about £3,000 to fund the work that is required before construction of a court can even begin. This includes the archaeological investigation of the preferred site, a public exhibition of plans and public consultation, a formal planning application and the cost of a lease from the National Trust.

To raise money, the Association stages various fund-raising events throughout the year, the principal one being the very popular Midsummer Hog Roast.

Most of the money for pre-construction work has been raised. The next major challenge will be to raise funds for the construction of the court. The cost of a single club-standard tennis court is about £27,000. The Association is confident it can raise this money. The principal source of funding will be grants.

Once the tennis court is built, it will have to be maintained. Using LTA figures, it is estimated that a public tennis court in Winchelsea will need to have less than 30 members to cover its running costs. Given the demand for membership even before the court has been built, getting this number of members will not be a problem.

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