Marke Wood Recreation Ground

When are the courts open?

Courts are open every day from 8am until dusk (courts close in line with daylight hours)

Some courts may be booked for coaching activities or events.

Do I have to be a resident of Dover to play?

No, everyone is welcome.

Once I have booked my court, how do I get access?

Once you have booked your court, you will receive a booking confirmation email.

Your booking confirmation will include a six-digit gate code and start with a * which you can then enter on the keypad at the gate. Please ensure you enter the * key before entering your six digit code. It is always useful to have your booking confirmation handy for inspection purposes.

I haven’t received confirmation of my booking or my gate access code. What should I do?

The gate access code is provided within your confirmation email. Please check the junk folder of the email account provided when you signed up. 

Alternatively please log into your Clubsparks account and check your bookings where you will see the details of your booking, alongside the gate access code.

If you still cannot find your confirmation email or gate access code, email markewoodparktennis@gmail.com  in advance of your booking.

What do I do if my PIN code doesn’t work?

Check your booking is on the correct day and time.

Are you entering the code within your allocated booking time? (No more than 10 minutes before or after your booked session).

Make sure you press the * key once then the six-digit code.

If you have followed all these steps and are still unable to open the gate please call 07831296904 for further advice.

What do the tones/sounds mean on the keypad?

Two short tones (with a blue light displayed) signals that the code has been input correctly.

A short tone (with a red light displayed) signals that the code has been input incorrectly.

A long tone (with a red light displayed) signals that the code has been input incorrectly three times. The keypad has now been locked, and you will need to wait one minute before trying again.

Can I make a booking for coaching purposes?

Only coaches appointed by Marke Wood Tennis Hub are authorised to deliver coaching activities on the courts. 

The annual season ticket and the pay and play rates are not permitted for this purpose.

Can I hire equipment?

Unfortunately, we do not offer that facility for personal bookings, however equipment is available for use during our new LTA Free Parks Tennis sessions - Tennis For All / Coaching / Summary (lta.org.uk)

How do I cancel a booking?

Bookings can be cancelled via your email confirmation or via your profile once logged into ClubSpark.

Cancellations made within 24 hours of the court booking will not be eligible for a refund or transfer. 

No cash refunds will be given. For Pay to play a refund will be applied to the card which was used at the time of booking (it may take up to 10 working days for this refund to show on the payment method.

Am I entitled to a concessionary rate if I am in receipt of benefits?

There are no concessionary rates.

Why will residents have to pay a fee to the newly renovated tennis?

Marke Wood Tennis Hub and The Council has an obligation to maintain tennis courts at high standards for players to enjoy the game safely. The cost to maintain the courts has increased and they need regular upgrades to meet satisfactory safety standards.

To improve the players’ experience, we have introduced electronic gates and an online booking system which have to be maintained and therefore incur costs. The online booking system enables player to choose where and when they want to play. The gate technology is a deterrent to vandalism and limit the access to only those who have booked to play. 

Tennis court maintenance costs need to be managed carefully to ensure the facilities are sustainable for the future. The income from the annual memberships and pay & play system contributes towards the maintenance and future investment into the site. If residents have any issues with their booking, Marke Wood Hub CIC can be contacted using these details - Marke Wood Recreation Ground / Contact (lta.org.uk)

Does everyone under the court booking need to pay to use the courts?

No, only one player in your booking needs to pay for the court through the annual membership or pay & play option. The season ticket and pay & play are not for the receipt or delivery of tennis coaching or non-tennis play activities. 

Charging a fee seems to go against the idea of making tennis accessible for everyone. What are your views on this?

The gate access system is operated in partnership with the LTA whose objectives are to grow and sustain the sport. We want to grow tennis in Walmer and get as many people to play as possible. We are keen to develop a strong tennis community in Walmer where everyone; children, families and people of all ages can enjoy the game.

However, in the long term, we need to bear in mind that tennis courts require investment to keep them in safe playable conditions.

Will there still be any Free Tennis opportunities?

Yes, we offer a weekly Free Park Tennis session every Saturday at 10am, more details are available here - Tennis For All / Coaching / Summary (lta.org.uk)

Will I be able to access Parks coaching without a membership?

Yes, you will be able to access Parks coaching with one of our authorised coaching partner without a Parks membership, however if you wish to play outside of lessons you will need an annual membership or use the pay & play option.

What does this mean for court maintenance?

We are working with Dover District Council to organise a regular schedule of checks and base maintenance, so the courts are playable year-round.

Income raised through annual membership and pay & play aids the Council investment into future capital court works, for example, court painting, re-surfacing, and fencing.

Further Information

This FAQ page will be updated accordingly with any further information.

If you have any further questions which have not been covered, please contact markewoodparktennis@gmail.com  so we can update this page accordingly.