TENNIS courts in Tavistock?s Meadows are to be refurbished this summer, in the hope a major youth tournament can be retained in the town. There are eight courts in the Meadows ? three of which are reserved solely for use by the tennis club, the rest either for partial or total public use. Members of the town council?s properties committee last week heard that courts seven and eight, which may be used by the public when not required for club matches, were in need of refurbishment at a cost of £3,250. Court six, a club court, also needed work. David Isaac, a club committee member, said the courts were in ?urgent? need of attention: ?As you know, the tennis club is responsible for court six and Tavistock Town Council for courts seven and eight. However, if the town council has not budgeted for this expenditure, the tennis club would agree to pay for all three courts, in return for a three-year extension to our peppercorn lease.? The committee was told the club had a long lease on the courts, which ran until 2024. Cllr Norma Woodcock said the club had, for at least six years, hosted an ?incredibly prestigious? regional junior tournament ? but last year, it had been remarked upon that the courts were becoming slippery and even dangerous. ?The club is most anxious to get the courts up to standard, so Tavistock can maintain this regional tournament. If we lose it out of the calendar now, we could lose it forever and I think that would be a great shame,? said Cllr Woodcock. Cllr Brian Trew sympathised with her views, but was concerned the town could be paying for something that should really be provided by the borough or county. He said: ?We are providing courts not just for the people of Tavistock but the people of the area and I bet the majority of people who are members of the club are not rate payers within Tavistock. ?There?s no way of knowing for sure, but this seems to be an issue where it is more to do with funding from the area, rather than the town.? But Cllr Mandy Govier ?strongly disagreed? and said the town council should be proud of a club composed of predominantly Tavistock residents and should be seen to be supporting it. ?The borough doesn?t have the money to support the club and we are in a very good position to support this facility ? eight courts in a town the size of Tavistock is very good and we are trying so hard to get people into sport. ?We were condemned recently for not giving enough to charities and organisations in the town ? this is on our land and where possible we should support activities for people who live within this area,? said Cllr Govier. Cllr Ted Sherrell said events like the tennis tournament were good for the sporting image of the town and he felt the suggestion by the club was a good one. The committee agreed to the club?s offer and the extension of the lease, providing the club paid the resulting legal fees.
