Border Telegraph | News | Courting success for one and break point for another

Tuesday, 6th January, 2009

Published: Thursday, 3rd August, 2006 11:30

Courting success for one and break point for another

By Border Telegraph Newsroom

TENNIS in the central Borders has become a tale of two courts.

While ambitious plans are about to be unveiled at Selkirk, only six miles away Galashiels Tennis Club has folded and their facilities condemned by the sport’s top national coach.

Since the Gala club was forced from its home at Abbotsford Road in 1996, numbers declined and the replacement courts near the Academy gradually fell into ruin.

And during a recent inspection by Scotland’s national coach, Eleanor Lightbody, she advised that it was game, set and match to the vandals.

The former changing facilities had been smashed up, surrounding fences pulled down and the playing surface left covered in cracks and holes.

Christine Lawrie, from the Borders Lawn Tennis Association, has been trying to find someone to serve up a recovery plan – but neither Scottish Borders Council or the courts’ owners Scottish Borders Sport and Leisure Trust have offered much in the hope of a winner.

Mrs Lawrie told the Border Telegraph: “Gala was a thriving club not that long ago – it’s a shame how the courts have been left to get into such a state.

“The Galashiels club had no option but to fold, they were being charged too much for courts that were in a poor state – nobody wanted to play on them.

“Eleanor Lightbody advised that no more coaching should take place on those courts – they are not in a fit condition.

“I spoke with people from the council’s sports development team last week, but it is unlikely anything is going to be done in the near future. The ball is very much in their court, as well as the Trust’s.”

Borders Sport and Leisure Trust took over the ownership of the courts in 2002 along with the council’s swimming pools and other sport venues.

Chief executive Ewan Jackson hadn’t returned our calls before we went to press.

As the sport in Galashiels reaches break point, Selkirk is very much holding its serve. The club has just secured more than £7,000 from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts to resurface two of its four courts.

And plans to develop its Hillside Terrace facilities will be announced at the end of this week.

Club spokeswoman Sue James said: “The resurfacing work is part of ambitious plans we have for the future of Selkirk Tennis Club.

“We have a healthy membership and a few of our players have done well in local championships.”

Social Bookmarking What are these?