"Published on Thursday 7 July 2005 10:43 A DALES tennis club has found a new lease of life after being shut out of its former home. Darley Dale Tennis Club's future looked uncertain after the owners of St Elphin's School, where the club had been playing, announced its immediate closure in March. Club secretary Andrew Turner admitted the build up to the new season had been "traumatic". But with a new home, the club hopes now to raise its profile and attract more members. "We were all geared up for another year at St Elphin's, and although we knew the school was struggling it went into receivership and we became a tennis club without courts literally in the space of one meeting. "Thankfully, we managed to relocate to the Highfields lower school site, our membership has held up and, on the whole, things are looking very solid." "I think it's going to be a good move," he added. "Being in Matlock is a bit more high profile than being at St Elphin's because I don't think people realised we were there." As well as holding its regular club sessions on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and playing its regular fixtures in the Derby Tennis League throughout May, June and July. The club is also continuing to work with Lawn Tennis Association coach David Keal to provide coaching sessions for children. The sessions take place at Highfields lower school, on Starkholmes Road, on Thursday evenings. Coaching for primary school age children runs from 4-5pm, and for secondary school age children from 5-7pm. For more information on the club's junior section, contact David Keal on 07702 372459. For general enquiries about the club, contact club secretary Andrew Turner on 01629 580951."
Reprinted by kind permission of Matlock Mercury |
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