Members of a Croydon tennis club are facing an uncertain future after Croydon Council announced plans to sell the land where it has stood for over 100 years. With the club’s future hanging in the balance, members are rallying together to raise the funds needed to ensure the club can continue to serve the people of Norbury.
Founded in 1890, the Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club (NPLTC) is one of the oldest tennis clubs in the world. It has weathered the storm of two world wars, with one court even taking a direct hit from a bomb during the conflicts.
In the years since it has become a cherished part of the community. It provides affordable and accessible tennis and coaching to an area with above-average health and social deprivation.
So, when members learned in November 2023 that Croydon Council planned to sell the land, the future of the club’s services became uncertain. Many spoke of the ‘shock’ and ‘surprise’ of discovering that their club’s home just off Ederline Avenue would be sold as part of the council’s cost-saving asset disposal list.
These ongoing disposals have seen the local authority sell everything from leisure complexes to charity headquarters to address the council’s ‘toxic’ debt burden. The council is progressing through its third and final tranche, considered its most ‘sensitive’.
The historic club is one of the oldest in the country
(Image: Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club)
The council has since offered the club first refusal to purchase the land with a 999-year lease. While the club said it is keen to keep developers away from the site and can raise some money through small loans, it admits the challenge of raising the £25,000 needed is daunting, given what is at stake.
NPLTC Director Lisa Patient has been active in the campaign to save the club. She, along with other members, has since set up a GoFundMe page in an attempt to sure up its future. MyLondon is supporting the fundraiser through its own campaign Don’t Cut The Heart Out of London, aimed at saving community venues under threat.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) of the importance of the club to the local area. She said: “The loss of the tennis club would be a disaster for this community. NPLTC is the only tennis club in North Croydon. We provide a welcoming space for people of all ages and skill levels to play tennis, a sport which is great for physical and mental health. The people who play here build lasting friendships and develop a sense of belonging.
“We have affordable membership and run lots of fun social events. Beyond tennis, the club serves as a hub for meetings, parties and initiatives that unite the Norbury and Thornton Heath community and is home to a popular day nursery.”
The club boasts four floodlit hard courts and plans for two more, making it a popular spot for both seasoned players and newcomers. It is also involved in the Action for Sport programme, helping young people integrate into society through tennis, and provides community coaching for youth.
Club Chairman Blaise Westmaas added: “We believe that Norbury Tennis Park Lawn is much more than just a tennis club – it is a cornerstone of our community.
“The funds raised through this campaign will help safeguard the future of the venue and ensure it remains a place where people can come to enjoy tennis, socialise, and be part of something special.”
Alongside its online fundraiser, the NPLTC will be running a number of events, including tennis tournaments and cake sales, as part of the campaign.
Streatham and Croydon North MP Steve Reed believes the council’s plans to sell the land threaten a club that is locally recognised as an Asset of Community Value. He said: “Croydon’s Conservatives are selling off vital community assets such as Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club – a wonderful local club which has been a staple of the Norbury Community for 135 years. All while they hike your council tax by over 20%, yet they cut everything except the grass.”
A spokesperson for Croydon Council said: “We are not selling the Norbury Tennis Club site; we are working with the tennis club to grant them a long term (999 years) lease which will provide them with greater security. We signed a Heads of Terms agreement with them in October 2024, and we are currently in negotiations with them to finalise the lease.”
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