Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer marks refurbishment of 1,000 public tennis courts in visit to Eastbourne

The Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer and Lawn Tennis Association Chief Executive Scott Lloyd hailed the milestone at the recently renovated Fisherman’s Green park in Eastbourne on July 29, where they supported a coaching session with local school children and adults.

The event took place as the Rothesay International Eastbourne tournament continues in the town ahead of The Wimbledon Championships, starting on July 3.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “Keeping the country active is a key priority for this government, and access to grassroots sport is a vital part of that, whether you live in the middle of a city, or a small village.

“As a massive tennis fan I see this as a major opportunity for those who may not have played before to pick up a racket and give it a go.

“We will continue to invest millions in sport across the country and I can already see from this local court in Eastbourne the positive impact it is going to have for many years to come.”

The £30 million package, which will see £21.9 million committed by the Government and £8.4 million by the LTA Tennis Foundation, is the most significant investment in parks tennis courts for a generation.

It is delivering vital improvements to the condition of over 3,000 park tennis courts across England, Scotland and Wales until 2024, resurfacing and repainting those parks in the worst condition, with a particular focus on targeting inequalities in participation.

Lawn Tennis Association CEO Scott Lloyd said: “We are delighted to have now refurbished 1,000 park tennis courts across Britain as part of this investment in park tennis facilities by the Government and LTA Tennis Foundation.

“We’re working with hundreds of local authorities across the country to transform park tennis courts, making it far easier to find a court and book, and ensuring a range of engaging activities are available for people to take part in.

“It’s great to see how courts like these in Eastbourne will benefit local communities across Britain, and help provide opportunities for many more people to pick up a racket, get on court, and enjoy playing tennis.”

MP Caroline Ansell also joined cabinet minister Lucy Frazer at Fisherman’s Green to open the newly refurbished tennis courts that have been paid for by the government and the Lawn Tennis Association.

Eastbourne received £100,000 to resurface and upgrade the Fisherman’s Green and Manor Park Gardens tennis courts as part of a wider £30 million government Park Tennis Project to upgrade 1000 community courts prior to this year's Wimbledon Championships.

Eastbourne’s MP said: “It was a pleasure to host the secretary of state in lovely Eastbourne today and for everyone to get a chance to see these excellent new courts, financed by the Government and LTA’s

“Our town has a long history as a tennis town and with the sold-out Eastbourne International tennis tournament this week, we were a perfect place to celebrate the sport.”