Man stages protest over tennis courts proposals

A man has staged a protest over proposed changes to community tennis courts in south Bristol.

Dave Wherrett held a demonstration at the facilities in Redcatch Park in Knowle to demand they remain free to play.

Bristol City Council has said it cannot afford to maintain the courts in the way it does now, so it has proposed that people pay and book to use them.

But Dave, a former youth worker in Knowle, says it is “an insult” that the council is considering a pay to play model.

The 70-year-old said: “My interest is for the people of Knowle to be free.

“If we cannot make play facilities available for young people and other people, why do we claim to be one of the greatest nations on earth?

“We should be ashamed of ourselves because most of the money is going to people on top, not down lower. I’m here trying to look after the people.”

Dave Wherrett sat outside the tennis courts in Redcatch Park for an hour on Wednesday afternoon to call for them to not become ‘pay to play’ – photo: Charlie Watts

Dave now lives in Clevedon but lived, worked and volunteered in Knowle until 2017.

As a leader of local youth groups, he says he worked with young people and the community to raise money and make improvements in Redcatch Park.

He claims to have been the lead signatory on the successful bid to get funds for much-needed improvements to the tennis courts in 2012.

He says he refused to sign off on the document until a statement saying the courts would become “bookable” and “pay to play” was removed.

Dave explained: “I refused because it’s young people and people on lower incomes that wouldn’t be able to pay to play.

“Since then, they’ve always been free to play and among the most popular courts in Bristol.

“My objection to pay to play is that it’s penalising those people that are vulnerable in society and most need the freedom to play.”

The council is currently consulting on the proposed changes to the tennis courts.

The consultation reads: “To provide a long-term sustainable plan for tennis at Redcatch Park, we propose that the courts in Redcatch Park would join the ‘Parks Tennis Operating Model’ that has been used in Eastville Park, St George Park and Canford Park since 2019.

“This would mean that people pay to use the tennis courts and would book a court to be sure it is available.

“A tennis operator (the sports charity Wesport) would be responsible for the management and operation of the courts, and all repairs and maintenance costs.

“There would be an accessible and inclusive tennis programme which, in addition to public bookings, would include tennis coaching opportunities, competitively-priced coaching for children, community tennis initiatives and opportunities for free play.”

The council says that if the tennis courts become part of the operating model, members will be able to book any of the four courts at Redcatch Park and any of the 15 courts in Eastville Park, St George Park and Canford Park.

Membership costs £35 per household per year, with concessionary membership at £25 per household per year. There is also a pay and play option which costs £5 per hour per court each time an individual plays.

Geoff, Fay and Jeff have been playing tennis in Redcatch Park twice a week for around 10 years. Geoff, 80, said: “I think it should be free for all, especially for youngsters, as we get quite a few just turn up on the off chance” – photo: Charlie Watts

Taking a difference stance to Dave, Friends of Redcatch Park (FoRP) – a group of volunteers who take care of the park – say they approached the council about the tennis courts and the possibility of them joining the Parks Tennis Operating Model.

Sian Ellis-Thomas, the chair of FoRP, says there has been no further maintenance done to the courts since renovations were carried out in 2012 and that they are beginning to deteriorate.

She said: “All FoRP want is a model that renovates, maintains and sustains the tennis courts.

“We are volunteers who give literally hundreds of hours of our time to the park.

“We would all like every facility to be free, but that’s just not realistic in the current financial climate.

“Everything costs money and money is short and there are priorities to consider and tough choices to make.

“We have to make pragmatic choices, not political ones.

“The Parks Tennis Model is a self-sustaining model. It is not a profit-making commercial exercise.

“Yes, there is a pay element. But it is incredibly reasonable and it’s there to fund the maintenance.

“And there are further upsides: free coaching for children and free play for other designated groups that we the community can decide and even floodlighting to extend playable hours.

“We are doing our best for the park. We shouldn’t have to fight against our local councillor for something that he knows makes perfect sense.”

Bristol City Council has said it cannot afford to maintain the courts in the way it does now – photo: Charlie Watts

The local councillor Sian is referring to is Gary Hopkins, who FoRP have submitted an official complaint about because they claim he has “waged his own personal campaign” against them to keep the tennis courts free.

But Gary, who is also the leader of the Knowle Community Party, says he is being “dragged towards” the idea of the courts being free because of the number of people he has spoken to.

He said: “Our position is that we want to make certain that the people get what they want. We were concerned at first to find out the consultation was not giving a balance choice to people.

“The more people that I’ve spoken to, the more I’ve realised the concerns that people actually got.

“A number of youngsters have said to me they wouldn’t be able to play. The older users are concerned as well.

“There is the money to do a refresh on the courts, they’re perfectly playable now but it’s a matter of doing a refresh so that the surface stays in good condition for a number of years ahead.”

On the complaint being made about him, he added: “As soon as we showed any interest in the subject area as councillors because it’s our job to do that, to try to look after people in the area, that’s when all that stuff started flying around.

“I’m not allowed to comment on the complaint itself but it’s not a way to behave.”

A complaint has been made about Knowle councillor Gary Hopkins in relation to the tennis courts by the chair of Friends of Redcatch Park – photo: Charlie Watts

In the council’s consultation, it says people turning up and playing at the tennis courts in Redcatch Park without paying or booking is “no longer possible”.

The consultation adds: “Bristol City Council is facing a cost of operating crisis, due to rising costs of goods, energy and services, reduced government funding, and increasing demand for the services the council provides.

“The council cannot afford to operate and maintain the tennis courts to an adequate standard in the long term with the budgets available.

“Therefore, we have not proposed this as an option in this consultation.”

Bristol City Council has been contacted for comment.

The council’s consultation runs until Tuesday. The final decision on the tennis courts is set to be made by the council’s executive director of people in consultation with the mayor during summer 2023.

Main photo: Charlie Watts

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