Fight to secure future lease at Norbury Park tennis club is on track
By Harrison Galliven, Local Democracy Reporter
A fundraising page has been set up to try and save one of the oldest tennis clubs in the world from a sell-off.
Croydon council intends to sell the lease of Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club (NPLTC), which has been welcoming players for well over 100 years, and the club wants to raise the cash to secure its future.
It is a move backed by many of the regulars at the club, including Khamsay Phommavongsa, 76, who has been a dedicated member for nearly 30 years.
He said: “At the beginning, I was just looking for a tennis club near me. There are no other tennis clubs near us, so accidentally, I went to look around Norbury Park. Then I met the people, they are very friendly and nice.
“They asked me to come midweek, and I have never left since. When I see good players in the park, I go and suggest they should join the club. Everybody is really friendly, it’s like a family.”
Fellow member Anne-Marie Bowden has played with the club for an impressive 45 years, winning cups and making many friends. She said: “I’m still enjoying playing tennis at 76. I feel so lucky to have a wonderful tennis club in my area.
“When I had my own children, I obtained my Lawn Tennis Association coaching award and coached mini tennis for four to seven-year-olds. It was so popular we had queues of parents on a Friday night, and it became a social hub for families.
“NPLTC has changed from the old days. Hopefully, it’s enabled me to keep apace with a hugely changing society. Socially, I can mix in, have a drink or two at the bar, join in quiz nights, bake-offs, and watch thrilling matches on the court.”
She added: “I’m not tearing all over the court now, but I can use my experience to get a few points and get valuable exercise.”
In November 2023, Croydon council revealed plans to put Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club’s lease up for sale in a bid to cut borrowing and debt. Due to its Asset of Community Value status, the club has first refusal to buy the lease on a 999-year deal from the council if it can secure £25,000 worth of funding.
Following extensive fundraising efforts from the club, the total raised has almost reached £23,000. Khamsay, who paid his yearly membership in advance to help the fundraiser, said: “We will reach the target, we will get there.”
The club serves as a thriving social hub for people of all ages, offering activities like yoga and barbecue events. Alongside its affordable tennis, it hosts a day nursery well-loved by Norbury and Thornton Heath residents.
For many, the thought of losing this community resource is devastating. “It will be very sad if the club has to go,” Khamsay said. “It’s not for me, it’s for the next generation. For my grandchildren.”
Earlier this year, a spokesman from the council said: “We are not selling the Norbury Tennis Club site; we are working with the tennis club to grant them a long-term (999-year) lease that will provide them with greater security.
“We signed a Heads of Terms agreement with them in October 2024, and we are currently in negotiations with them to finalise the lease.”
The club’s fundraising page can be found here.
Pictured top: Still loving the courts, Khamsay Phommavongsa has been a member of the club for almost 30 years (Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga)