Charge for tennis courts

Am I alone in not being totally adverse to the council proposing to charge for playing on the Tanner St tennis courts? Frequently I've attempted to play only to have lost the will to live when being kept waiting indefinitely. At least by having a proper booking system this will ensure people don't hog the courts. I'm assuming that it's £6 per court per hour -not per person! If it's the latter -then I would however object!

GC wrote:

Am I alone in not being totally adverse to the council proposing to charge for playing on the Tanner St tennis courts? Frequently I've attempted to play only to have lost the will to live when being kept waiting indefinitely. At least by having a proper booking system this will ensure people don't hog the courts. I'm assuming that it's £6 per court per hour -not per person! If it's the latter -then I would however object!

I agree with you, GC. I also hope it is £6 per hour per court. Burgess Park charges £8.40 per hour per court perhaps because they are floodlit.

I think it's a good idea too. I've waited and waited in the past and finally given up, when groups of friends - 10 or 12 strong - turn up and keep the court for most of the afternoon. It's lovely for them as it's a social event, but very disheartening for others like me who have to give up and go home.

I had to laugh when I saw the article here at SE1 with Ben Johnson's comments about not being able to discover the next Andy Murray or suddenly overweight kids not getting options for exercise. Andy Murray was taking private tennis lessons at age 3 and most young people who go on to be tennis stars are not discovered on neighbourhood courts. I don't play Tennis but I do sit in the park often and I can't think of a time I saw an overweight youth playing tennisat Tanner Street. The people who use those courts are predominantly grown ups in their mid-20s and older. If you're complaining about a policy at least get your facts straight.

I don't think it's unreasonable to have a use tax on discretionary activities that cost the council money. Free checkout jump ropes and resistance bands are far more cost effective and probably more health promoting than tennis if the purpose of the courts is to promote a healthy populace. Free Tai Chi sessions as in China would be useful. The Tennis courts are a service to a small fraction of the neighbourhood population who are generally of certain means and asking them to pay a few quid towards their upkeep seems perfectly reasonable to me, I bet it's perfectly reasonable to a large number of users of those courts too.

Personally, I am amazed it has taken this long to implement a booking system at Tanner Street.

Southwark's website currently states that;
"All tennis courts within Southwark's parks (apart from those in Burgess Park) are free of charge and do not need to be booked."

However, the suggestion seems to imply that it is only Tanner Street Park which will incur fees. Surely with a booking system in place, fees should be applied evenly to all tennis facilities across the borough?

Could there not be a booking system without a charge, why do the two things have to go together?

Yes the decision to introduce charges is specific to Tanner Street Park.

Well I would hope there would be concessions for the unemployed and young, otherwise I would be wondering if we are seeing the advent of poor courts.

A booking system for the tennis courts at Tanner Street is common sense and the introduction of fees not altogether surprising. However, given that it remains free to play on many other Council owned courts across Southwark any revenue should be seen to be re-invested locally, for example, by providing on-site tennis lessons during school summer holidays.

presumably if a booking system they are going to have someone in the park to oversee it and make sure those who have booked and paid get the courts and i assume this is what the charge is going towards??