The tennis courts at Cross Flatts Park are being refurbished, with work having started on yesterday (7 April 2025).
The works are taking place thanks to a £30m Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Tennis Foundation project refurbishing courts across Britain, with £654,000 of this spent in Leeds. It is hoped that they will take ten weeks to complete, weather permitting.
The courts are located in a busy part of the park next to the playground and basketball courts and are fully accessible to everyone including full time wheelchair users. Buses number 2, 3, 3A, 24 and 74 all stop nearby.
Councillor Andrew Scopes (Labour, Beeston & Holbeck), said:
“This is an excellent, much appreciated investment in our local park and I’d like to thank the LTA for funding it.
“While it’s a shame that the courts will be closed just as the warm weather and lighter evenings are coming round again, it’ll be great to see them fully refurbished and improved in time for summer. I’d encourage interested residents of all ages and abilities to make use of the courts when they reopen.”
This post is based on a press release issued by Cllr Andrew Scopes
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But is there a hidden motive? The new booking system via a code provides the opportunity for the council to introduce pricing in the future. This is what has happened elsewhere in UK after similar improvements eg at Kirklees council. Charges might be introduced at selective parks and then spread to the rest.
The council has possibly chosen to install a more expensive less hard wearing surface than asphalt. If this is the case then I think the public paying in future for maintenance is likely the council’s long term plan.