New members boost the industry
We are pleased to welcome several new members to the industry association
Partner Member – SurfTech Surfaces
Surftech Surfaces Ltd is the UK’s leading manufacturer of coatings and systems for sports and recreational surfaces. From its manufacturing base in Suffolk it produces a comprehensive range of products for a variety of sports, supplying material for around 2500 tennis courts per year as well as for MUGAs and point elastic surfaces.
Surftech Surfaces currently has export markets in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East and is the distributor of global brands Har-Tru, Proflex and Orange Padel, supplying surfacing systems used at a number of professional tournaments including the ATP Tour, Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup
Industry Member – DYUCE
DYUCE is an LTA recommended full-service ball recycling solution dedicated to changing the throw away culture in tennis and padel. An estimated 18 million balls hit landfill in the UK each year, despite the fact tennis and padel ball rubber is infinitely recyclable.
DYUCE consolidates and processes balls from clubs throughout the UK and Ireland. The processed rubber from the balls is then used in circular rubber products including sports surfaces (inc. tennis courts) and soles for athletic footwear.
Find out more at www.dyuce.com
Operator Member – Totton & Eling Tennis Centre
The Totton & Eling Tennis Centre was constructed in 2004 and ever-since has been managed by a small family team in partnership with the local authority. The facility is located between Southampton and the New Forest, with around 30,000 people within walking / cycling / wheeling distance. It has 8 floodlit courts
With around 550 regular users, including over 300 weekly junior and adult coaching attendees, the centre is well-loved by the community and operates throughout the year, despite being a purely outdoor facility. Embracing technological solutions, such as gate access and automated floodlights, the facility is able to run on a self-serve basis for the majority of the week. The courts are available for public hire at all times, with a wide demographic taking advantage of this open access approach
Operator Member – Caesarean Tennis Club
The Caesarean Tennis Club in Jersey was first established in 1867 as the Caesarean Croquet and Archery Club. In 1916 the Club moved to its current location in Grands Vaux, and became known as the Caesarean Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club.
The facilities at the Club are constantly expanding and improving, and it now has ten courts, two of which are indoor (six in the winter), a thriving membership and a modern Clubhouse with parking.
TIA Summer Social/AGM
All TIA members are invited to attend the Summer Social at the LTA’s National Tennis Centre, Roehampton on Thursday July 3rd. Following the AGM held in the morning, a lunch will be provided and members can then take advantage of the NTC’s padel facility. Members can also gain access to the Lexus British Open taking place at the same time on the outdoor courts
Papers for the AGM will be circulated to members in late May/early June
Championship ground passes
Full TIA Members (Partners and Industry Members) are invited to apply for ground passes for The Championships for Thursday July 3rd. The passes are kindly provided by the LTA and will be allocated to those companies attending the AGM on the same day. If you would like to apply for a ground pass on this basis, please email phil@tiauk.org
Wimbledon plans to increase ‘Henman Hill’ capacity
Wimbledon is planning to renovate its iconic ‘Henman Hill’ and increase capacity for the tournament’s 150th anniversary.
Thousands of fans have watched action on a big screen from the grass slope which is open to supporters without show-court tickets.
The proposed revamp – which has not yet been approved – would increase the hill’s capacity by 20% in time for the 2027 event and increase accessibility.
It is the latest change planned for the All England Club, after a 39-court expansion was approved last year.
“It’s all about enhancing this whole area, obviously it’s become extremely popular but accessibility is difficult for everyone,” said four-time Wimbledon semi-finalist Tim Henman, after whom the hill was named.
“We are always looking to enhance wherever we are on the estate. This is going to be an exciting project.”
Curtesy: All England Club
LTA covered courts initiative?
The Times has reported an ambitious plan by the LTA to bid for Government funding for a £75 million project to build 40 community sports hubs to include tennis and padel courts. The centres may also incorporate multi-sport areas and be targeted in areas of high levels of obesity and inactivity
The plan has echoes of the LTA’s previous covered court strategy which delivered over 50 ‘pay and play’ indoor tennis centres in the 1980’s and 90’s in partnership with local authorities
The Times reports that the LTA is intensifying its efforts to secure funding before the government’s spending review in June
It is understood that playing areas would use lightweight canopies rather than fully-enclosed structures to reduce capital and operational costs. Other proposals including forming partnerships with local GP surgeries where the centres are built, to support the health and wellbeing of the communities they serve
Source: The Times
Wimbledon delivers ‘record’ £50m to British tennis
Last year’s Wimbledon Championships delivered a “record surplus” of nearly £50m for British tennis. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) received £49.853m last year, under an agreement which allows The All England Club (AELTC) to pass on 90% of its profits to the governing body each year.
“Despite a wet championships, the company delivered a record surplus for the LTA,” the annual report says.
The AELTC’s financial statement for the year to July 2024 also reveals slightly increased profits of £54.332m, and turnover which rose to £406.507m.
Source: BBC News
LTA’s One Team Bulletin – Spring edition
Read more in the Spring Edition of the LTA’s One Team Bulletin
Tennis Scotland reports ‘unprecedented growth’
Strong growth in participation and improved facilities announced in Tennis Scotland’s Annual Report 2024
Sport England reports record numbers playing sport
The number of people playing sport and taking part in physical activity in England is at the highest level on record, according to Sport England’s latest Active Lives Adult Survey Report, which was published recently.
The new figures show that, between November 2023 and November 2024, 63.7% of the adult population met the Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines of doing 150 minutes, or more, of moderate intensity physical activity a week. That’s equivalent to 30 million adults in England playing sport or taking part in physical activity every week – up more than 2.4m from when we first published the survey results in 2016.
Source: Sport England
Padel and Pickleball News
Padel County Championships
The LTA has announced a strategic partnership with UK PADEL to support and expand the UK PADEL County Championships. As part of this new partnership, the UK PADEL County Championships will be authorised as a Grade 3 event starting this year.
This milestone means that players will have the opportunity to earn LTA ranking points, further integrating padel into Great Britain’s competitive sporting landscape. The move aligns with the commitment to develop the domestic padel competition calendar and to provide more structured opportunities for players on home soil.
Padel and pickleball plans for Cirencester
Plans are in hand to redevelop tennis courts at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) in Cirencester with three new padel courts and two pickleball courts. Padel X Club has applied to Cotswold District Council for planning permission.
Golf centre plans for padel courts
Adlington Golf Centre near Macclesfield has applied for planning permission for four padel courts on part of a former nine-hole course. The Golf Centre, which opened in 1992 as a driving range, now incorporates an academy course, a pitch and putt course and a graduate course.