Scarborough Council adopt new strategy to encourage more people to play tennis

At today’s full council meeting, Scarborough Council unanimously adopted the strategy, developed with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), which will help to develop the sport locally for the next 15 years.

As part of the policy a number of “pay and play” tennis courts could be opened in Scarborough and Whitby as part of a drive to encourage people in the borough to take up the sport.

Following a consultation with local tennis clubs and players across the borough, one of the highlighted issues was the lack of pay and play courts, where members of the public can turn up without being a member and play there and then.

Among the courts proposed are replacements for the facilities lost when the Filey Road Sports Centre in Scarborough closed in 2017 following the opening of the Scarborough Sports Village at Weaponness.

The site of the former sports centre is now earmarked for the development of houses and apartments.

The areas being looked at for new courts include Whitby Leisure Centre and Scarborough College in Filey Road.

The need for the strategy came after concerns were raised by the LTA and Sport England following the closure of the Filey Road Sports Centre and the decision not to include any tennis courts as part of the replacement Sports Village.