The UK Government and Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) have invested £30 million to improve park tennis courts—a welcome initiative. However, this funding requires councils to introduce locked gates, booking systems, and court fees, drastically reducing access to public tennis. As a result, over 60% of park courts are now locked, requiring individuals to register on the LTA’s website, provide personal details, and often pay an hourly fee just to play.

Public park courts have long been open, informal spaces where people of all backgrounds could try tennis freely, play casually, and enjoy the sport without restrictions. Now, these courts have been enclosed by security fencing and placed under an LTA-controlled booking system, limiting spontaneous play and community use.

Additionally, councils that accept this funding must cover locked gate maintenance costs, forcing them to generate revenue from court fees. These gates frequently malfunction or suffer vandalism, leaving courts unusable for extended periods. Meanwhile, the LTA has encouraged private coaching businesses to operate on these locked courts, effectively turning public spaces into commercial facilities, prioritising paid coaching over free recreational play.

This policy disproportionately effects low-income families and those who may have a spontaneous interest in trying tennis. Public investment should increase participation, not create financial and logistical barriers.

We call on the Government and the LTA to remove mandatory locked gate contracts, allowing councils to choose how to manage their facilities and keep park tennis as free and accessible as other public sports like basketball, skateboarding, and outdoor gyms.

Sign this petition to help keep public park tennis free and open to all!