Tennis in Haringey was given a massive boost yesterday after Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester, joined by Peter Bretherton, President of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and Geoff Newton, Executive Director of the Tennis Foundation, visited the newly developed tennis courts at Bruce Castle Park.
The Duchess, who is the Honorary President of the LTA, attended the park to officially open the recently refurbished clubhouse and spoke to local youngsters and adults enjoying a game on the resurfaced courts as part of an open day with free tennis and music.
Bruce Castle Park courts have been taken over by The Pavilion Sports and Café, an organisation founded by Robby Sukhdeo, with the LTA and Tennis Foundation contributing £147,000 alongside £131,000 from Haringey Council.
The investment allowed the resurfacing of five courts, two of which were floodlit, and with Sukhdeo now taking over the lease he is hoping to replicate the successful programme he already runs at Albert Road Recreation Ground also in the Borough.
Sukhdeo said: "As a Haringey resident for over 45 years I believe in engaging the community through tennis and at Albert Road we proved how tennis can bring people together.
"I believe that local parks and tennis should be for everyone and we hope that the sort of success we have achieved in Albert Road will be replicated at Bruce Castle – it is a very exciting time."
The full tennis programme will include both adults and children's sessions running all year round and will include individual and group coaching, holiday camps, Cardio Tennis, free play, social and match play, team tennis, as well as an outreach programme engaging local schools.
Geoff Newton said: "Following the success of the tennis programmes run at Albert Road Recreation Ground, the Tennis Foundation and LTA are delighted to see the new courts and clubhouse at Bruce Castle Park bringing tennis to the community here in another part of Haringey.
"As Her Royal Highness formally opened this excellent facility she expressed her delight at being invited to Bruce Castle Park for this occasion and endorsed our thanks to Robby and his team for all of the hard work they have put in."
Haringey Council Mayor, Cllr Sheila Peacock, added: "I'm very proud to show off these wonderful courts and tennis facilities to Her Royal Highness. Thanks to the Tennis Foundation and LTA we can now provide our residents with top quality facilities. Players from all sorts of backgrounds and from all areas of the Borough are taking up the sport so perhaps we have a future Wimbledon champion in our midst!"
Find out more information about Bruce Castle Park courts.
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