Crawley residents can now net early-bird discount tennis membership

The nine courts – four in West Green Park, three in Maidenbower Park and two in Southgate Park – have been refurbished with new surfaces, nets, posts and fencing. New access footpaths have been created to the tennis courts in Southgate and West Green.

Temporary play lines will be used before all nine courts are colour sprayed in April, when the weather improves.

Courts in Maidenbower and Southgate Park reopened on 22 March for open access tennis.

An online booking system linked to access-controlled gates to ensure all residents can guarantee their court booking slot has also been installed. This will go live on Monday 17 April.

An annual household season ticket covering all courts will usually cost Crawley residents £45 per annum per household (up to five people) or £7.50 per hour on a pay and play basis. An additional fee of £2 for members or £4 for non-members will be payable for the use of floodlights at West Green Park.

However, until 20 May 2023 an annual season ticket will cost £40 and the pay and play rate will be £6.50 per hour.

A household season ticket covers up to five people and can be used for a maximum of five hours of tennis per week and a maximum of two hours of tennis per day.

To take advantage of this reduced rate visit crawley.gov.uk/tennis to sign up. The court booking system is easy to use and money generated from bookings will pay for court improvements in the future.

Courts can be booked up to 14 days in advance for season ticket holders and seven days in advance for ‘pay and play’.

A comprehensive weekly schedule of programmed activity will be added which will include coaching and competition for all ages and abilities.

In addition, Tennis for Free will make a weekly return to the courts in Maidenbower from Saturday 15 April from 11am to 12.30pm. Tennis for Free will begin at West Green Park later this year.

Councillor Chris Mullins, Cabinet member for Leisure and Wellbeing, said: “Our courts have been refurbished and are looking great.

“Charging for tennis is necessary to enable us to maintain the courts to a high standard – and a season ticket works out at less than 80p per week if you sign up now!

“Tennis for Free is also returning every week so we’re making sure the courts are available to everyone.”

This funding is part of the UK Government and LTA’s joint investment of more than £30million to refurbish public tennis courts across Britain and support a new generation of players to get into the sport.

For more information visit crawley.gov.uk/tennis