New courts opening up

NORTH Staffordshire's first artificial grass tennis courts are about to be unveiled at Basford as part of an ambitious £43,000 programme to attract new players.

The two showpiece courts are the culmination of 18 months planning, fund raising and labour by committee and club members.

If more money is forthcoming from the National Sports Council they hope to convert a further two all weather tarmac courts to synthetic grass.

Poor state

The move came about after members began grumbling about the poor state of the 10-year-old existing courts. The committee were faced with the choice of spending cash on resurfacing or taking the courageous step of replacing them with an expensive product similar to Astro Turf.

"We spent countless hours discussing what we ought to do. We even sent some of our good players to test out various surfaces at other clubs. Eventually we put it to the vote and decided that unless we invested heavily and went ahead with artificial grass, the club would die," said committee member Derek Newport.

"It is important that we think positively towards the future rather than living in the past. The future of the club lies with the young people coming through and from what we have heard they cannot wait to get out onto the new courts to start playing," he added.

Of the £43,000, the club has paid half with a bonus of £750 from Newcastle Borough Council. The remainder is on loan from the Lawn Tennis Association.

To capture the envy of other clubs in North Staffordshire members have also renewed the perimeter fencing, rebuilt a retaining wall and spruced up the clubhouse.

"We are all very excited about the project, it has certainly caught fire round here. The courts are also generating a lot of interest elsewhere, particularly among juniors. Hopefully we will attract quite a few more members," commented Mr Newport.

Basford Tennis Club moved to its present site in West Avenue in 1926. Ten years later former Wimbledon champion Fred Perry played an exhibition match there. In 1946 he returned to make a second star appearance with television commentator Dan Maskell.

During the 1970s the club forsook its ash courts to join the modern era of all-weather tarmac, bringing all year round tennis to its members. Eight years later they were re-laid.

Mr Newport believes the club is now entering another chapter. "We see it as long overdue reinvestment in the club. We have had to be brave but we would never have gone for artificial grass if it was not in the interests of our members. We are sure it is a very good move not only for us at Basford but for tennis generally," he said.

Official opening

Members are marking the event by postponing their annual closed tournament until October, although they are planning an official opening by a celebrity next spring.

The project comes during a season which has seen their youngest star player Ben Wallbanks win the Staffs under-10 championship at the age of eight.

The women's 'A' team have won promotion from Premier 2 in the Staffs county league, while the men's A side topped division 2 North.

Players are expected to step out on to the new courts this week.

Evening Sentinel, 30 September 1991
Courtesy of The Sentinel News & Media