Anyone for tennis? No, unless you pay an annual fee

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

South Londoners are divided over council plans to charge people to play tennis at a park.

Lewisham council has been handed money from the Lawn Tennis Association to refurbish courts at Telegraph Hill – but players will have to pay for the upkeep out of their own pockets. Under the plans, residents would have to cough up £35 a year to play on two courts at Telegraph Hill Upper Park.

They would also have to book online in advance. At the moment the courts at Telegraph Hill Upper Park are free to use on a first come, first serve basis.

Lewisham says the yearly fee would go towards maintenance of the courts. But some regular players say the decision to charge for the courts was pushed through by the council in a hurry without consultation.

They want Lewisham to give them the chance to raise money for the refurbishment themselves to keep the courts free of charge. Telegraph Hill resident Mary Mcinerney, 56, has been playing tennis at the courts for decades.

She said: “This is one of the few courts left that’s free to use in the area. There are so many that have been locked up. They’re saying the courts are dangerous but it’s not true.

“I wouldn’t play on them if I thought I was going to injure myself and I play there every week. If they were new courts it wouldn’t make difference.”

Another Telegraph Hill regular player, who asked to remain anonymous, said problems with the courts were being exaggerated to justify the membership plan.

She said: “They’ve not touched the courts for 22 years and they’re villainising the youths who sit at the courts at night, saying they cause a problem when they don’t.

“They’ve already introduced the membership scheme at Ladywell and it’s a very specific demographic who play there now. Many people around here are using foodbanks or have high childcare costs and aren’t going to be able to afford the extra £35 – it’s not just low-income people.”

She claimed that a meeting in November 2021 where the proposed charging was discussed didn’t have the tennis courts on its agenda and was poorly publicised by the town hall.

But Michael Raphael, an LTA-accredited tennis coach who uses the courts daily, said the planned changes would improve the facilities.

He said: “There’s often glass on the courts that I have to clear up in the mornings and there was one particular day where there was dog poo and it took me half an hour to clear up.

“With the LTA running it, that will never happen. It’s always going to be free from rubbish. Having a booking system means you won’t have people staying on the court for too long.”

The 56-year-old added that the court surface was dangerously uneven. He said he had previously fallen down because of a dip towards the fence on one court that was in urgent need of fixing.

Lewisham council said it secured funding from the Lawn Tennis Association in 2021 to refurbish tennis courts at Telegraph Hill, as well as at Chinbrook Meadows, Hilly Fields, Ladywell Fields and Mountsfield Park.

A council spokeswoman said: “These courts are in urgent need of refurbishment and we have received complaints from users over slippery conditions and crumbling surfaces.

“Without this vital investment from the LTA, these courts will become unplayable – inevitably within a few years, they would need to be closed in order to prevent dangerous conditions. Nobody wants to see these courts shut down for health and safety reasons.

“Our residents deserve top quality facilities and that is why Lewisham council is keen to upgrade these courts. Our previous experience working with the LTA has been positive and they funded a previous round of investment in 2017.

“This funding meant that we have been able to provide our residents with fantastic facilities at Ladywell Fields (northern section), Manor House Gardens, Mayow Park and Sydenham Wells Park.”

Pictured Top, Michael Raphael playing tennis at the Telegraph Hill courts. Picture: Robert Firth