One of the world's oldest tennis clubs is fighting to stay alive after cash-strapped Croydon Council announced plans to sell the land on which it sits.
Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club is looking to raise around £90,000 to secure the lease from debt-ridden Croydon Council and ensure the survival of the historic community club.
The 136-year-old club has weathered two World Wars and 35 Prime Ministers in south London.
But its existence is now threatened by Croydon Council's plans to sell the land the club calls home to reduce its borrowing and debt.
(Image: Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club / SWNS)
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Leaders of the tennis club - established back in 1889 - have launched a fundraising campaign to generate the money needed to buy a 999-year lease for the land from the council.
Thanks to member donations, a GoFundMe page, a bake-off and an auction, Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club has already raised around half the money needed to save the facility.
As an Asset of Community Value, the club will have first refusal to take the lease for the land from the council if it can raise sufficient funds.
Croydon Council has said it's working with the club to grant them a long-term lease, of 999 years.
Blaise Westmaas, the Club's Chairman, said the loss of the club would reverberate throughout the entire community.
"Norbury Tennis Park Lawn is much more than just a tennis club – it is a cornerstone of our community," the 66-year-old, who has been a member of the club for as long as 30 years, said.
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"We have coaching sessions for children, summer camps, sessions for disabled people...
"As a facility, we rent our grounds and our clubhouse to a number of local organisations.
"We have school sessions and even some churches use our facilities.
"It would be a huge loss for the club to go.
"We have about 150 members. A number of them are retired and it allows them to get out, get exercise and be part of a community.
"That has a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of the people who come here.
"Anyone who gets the bug of tennis, it's the best thing you can do for your health.
"It reduces [visits] for the NHS: the government should be funding us to stay open and grow because we save them money!
"It's a community resource that we can't lose. We're doing our best to raise the funds to save it.
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“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."
Dad-of-three Mr Westmaas added that the club was seeking sponsorships from businesses and may even consider borrowing money if they can't raise a sufficient sum to purchase the lease themselves.
Lisa Patient, the Club's Fundraising Director, echoed his praise of the club as a community stalwart.
Asked what would happen if they didn't raise enough funding to secure the long-term lease from Croydon Council, she said: "The future would be uncertain.
"People would be lost without it. We need to make sure it stays as a tennis facility.
“Unlike some other tennis clubs, Norbury does not have a large membership and the backing of well-off members.
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"Instead, it has opened up a GoFundMepage to gather support and is also looking at loans and other routes to raise the money it needs.
"We are one of the oldest tennis clubs in the world - not far behind Wimbledon in 1868.
"It's a lovely tennis club. We host community events and we're a great community asset."
Ms Patient mentioned late member Jean Eastick - who lived next to the club and also met her husband there - as epitomising the club's community feel.
Mrs Eastick, who was born in 1929, sadly died around five years ago, but her children remain members and play at the club.
Croydon Council announced their plans to sell the Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club land back in November 2023.
The south London council has a debt of around £1.6bn as a result of years of mismanagement and poses a significant financial challenge for the authority.
Croydon Council told the BBC: "We are not selling the Norbury Tennis Club site.
"We signed a heads of terms agreement with them in October 2024, and we are currently in negotiations to finalise the lease.
"We will continue to work with the club throughout the process to avoid any unnecessary concern."
The council added that it had "started an asset disposals programme in 2023 in direct response to central government requirements, to sell non-operational assets to reduce borrowing and debt".
You can donate to save the club on GoFundMe.
