Park Tennis Survey Insights

Introduction

In the Autumn, we carried out a survey regarding Park tennis to collect insights and feedback that will assist us in future planning. Additionally, participants had the chance to win a £40 annual pass membership; the winner has been selected and notified via email.

This page aims to share insights gathered from the survey, highlighting our findings and potential future projects.

 

 

Survey Overview

A total of 257 individuals participated in our survey, comprising 111 pay and play users and 146 Play Tennis Pass members. Notably, 45% of the respondents fall within the age range of 45 to 54.  A total of 156 respondents have been playing tennis for over six years. 57% of the respondents are utilising the courts for playing tennis with their family members.

 

 

Park Tennis

Q + A: "Did you know the £40 annual membership pass covers everyone in your household?" Out of 146 annual members, 125 confirmed yes, they knew this, while 21 members did not. Among the 111 pay and play users, 37 knew the membership covers their household, while 74 did not know.

What we will do: We will assess our existing messages and advertisements to confirm that it is clearly communicated that the Play Tennis Pass is a household pass with no additional court charges.

 

Q + A: "How did you find out about Elmbridge Parks Tennis?" The primary three factors identified were: Council advertising (31%), local park visits (23%), and Google searches (21%).

 

Q + A: "What venue/s do you use?" Results listed in order of ranking, are as follows:

  1. Churchfields
  2. Giggs Hill
  3. Long Ditton
  4. Elmgrove
  5. Oatlands
  6. Coronation
  7. Cobham
  8. Molesey Hurst
  9. Cricket Way
  10. Civic Centre
  11. West End
  12. Grovelands

 

 

Charges

Q + A: "Do you think the current charges of £40 Play Tennis Pass and £5.50 per hour Pay and Play are fair?" A total of 113 annual members expressed that they find the current charges to be fair, while 13 disagreed. In contrast, 93 pay and play users agreed the charges are reasonable, whereas 18 indicated they are not.

 

Q + A: "Would you either join or re-join the annual membership if the price was increased?" 88 annual members indicated they would renew their membership if prices were raised, while 58 stated they would not. Among the pay and play users, 47 expressed interest in joining the membership with a price increase, whereas 62 indicated they would not join. 

 

Q: "If you think the charges are unfair, why do you think this?"

  • 5 responses = should be free as they assume the courts are massively underused since the charges started
  • 5 responses = should be free to use
  • 4 responses = it is too expensive
  • 3 responses = we pay our taxes
  • 9 responses = other reasons:
  • Unable to assess value
  • Free for local residents
  • The price should be higher
  • Cheaper to encourage usage
  • Only wants access to 1 venue
  • Barrier to those who cannot afford it
  • Basic court maintenance has been dropping
  • People over a certain age should have free access.
  • The fee is ok but it is wrong to charge for tennis and not others

 

Court Usage: When the courts were free to use, we received numerous complaints regarding no-shows. We investigated this issue by tracking PIN code usage and discovered that 62% of court bookings were no-shows. However, since the re-launch of the scheme, we have not received any complaints about no-shows, and court bookings have consistently remained higher than pre-COVID levels.

Low income benefits: If you reside in Elmbridge and are a recipient of low-income benefits, please email us to learn how to register for a free Play Tennis Pass: parkstennis@elmbridge.gov.uk 

Maintenance: The basic maintenance of the courts is carried out by the contractor for the Green Spaces Team. It is important to note that the tennis courts are not part of the green spaces contract and are regarded as an additional service. Consequently, we have to outsource some of the maintenance tasks to keep the courts in good condition.

Did you know? Park Tennis schemes play an important role in utilising Council resources and offering opportunities for physical activity; however, it is classified as a non-statutory service.

Taxes: Council Tax is collected by Elmbridge Borough Council and is distributed among Elmbridge (11%), Surrey Police (14%), and Surrey County Council (75%). The Elmbridge share is allocated to the following Council services:

  • Environmental Services - managing the waste and regulatory service
  • Climate Change and Sustainability - meeting climate change objectives
  • Community Care - centres for the community, transport and meal services
  • Housing Services - delivering homeless services and monitoring housing standards
  • Policy and Transformation - including democratic costs and keeping residents informed
  • Finance and Resources - enabling the rest of the Council to function efficiently, financial and legal services
  • Planning, Enterprise and Local Economy - managing the place we live through development services, car park managment and enforcing parking restrictions
  • Leisure, Culture and Commercial Strategy - delivering leisure services, health and wellbeing initatives, sports development, estates management, museums and looking after the paths plus commons. 

 

 

Facility wish list

Q + A: "If you could add anything to the current Park Tennis facilities, what would it be and why?" A total of 174 responses were received, here are the leading 14 wish list items in ranking order:

  • 27 responses = Improve basic court maintenance: leaves, rubbish, hedge, moss
  • 27 responses = Add floodlights for evening play
  • 15 responses = Padel Tennis courts which are accessible
  • 14 responses = Benches 
  • 12 responses = New nets, net winders, and centre straps 
  • 9 responses = Toilets
  • 7 responses = Drinking water/fountains
  • 6 responses = Stronger locks and more security
  • 5 responses = A roof to prevent loss of tennis balls and year-round play
  • 5 responses = Make it free again 
  • 4 responses = Shelters for when it rains 
  • 4 responses = Pickleball 
  • 4 responses = Improve court surfaces and nets
  • 2 responses = Car parking which is free or has a lower hourly rate 

 

Maintenance: The basic maintenance of the courts is carried out by the contractor for the Green Spaces Team. It is important to note that the tennis courts are not part of the green spaces contract and are regarded as an additional service. Consequently, we have to outsource some of the maintenance tasks to keep the courts in good condition.

Did you know? Park Tennis schemes play an important role in utilising Council resources and offering opportunities for physical activity; however, it is classified as a non-statutory service.

Court improvements: The Council have completed a three-year plan to enhance the tennis courts throughout the borough. These courts were recognised as needing improvements by an independent contractor. For further information regarding the improvements, click here.

Grovelands: Following significant vandalism experienced at Grovelands this year, we initiated a tender process to appoint a contractor for the installation of more robust fencing. This project is scheduled to commence in January 2025, subject to weather conditions.

Padel Tennis: We advocate for Padel Tennis in appropriate venues that offer sufficient space and on-site supervision. We are focusing on collaborating with these facilities and new applications to create accessibility for the community.

Anti-Social Behaviour: Regrettably, anti-social behaviour persists in the recreation grounds, hindering our ability to enhance the courts with additional features such as benches, net straps, and winders, These amenities tend to draw non-tennis players, leading to incidents of theft and vandalism.

 

 

Floodlight research

Q + A: "If in the future floodlights were introduced, what additional fee would you pay to play under lights?" The responses in ranking order were:

  • 103 votes = £2.50 per hour
  • 45 votes = £3 per hour
  • 27 votes = £4 per hour
  • 15 votes = £0 per hour
  • 5 votes = £4.15 per hour
  • 3 votes = £5 per hour
  • 5 votes = £2 per hour
  • 5 votes = £1 per hour
  • 1 votes = £3.94 per hour
  • 1 suggestion = £8 per hour

 

 

Future initiatives

Q + A:  "What future initiative’s would you like to see?" The responses in ranking order were:

  • 58 responses = specific coaching groups
  • 33 responses = general coaching
  • 14 responses = general competition
  • 11 responses = speicifc competitions
  • 11 responses = regualr drop in social sessions
  • 8 responses = Padel Tennis
  • 4 responses = abilitiy to find other players
  • 17 other individual suggestions

Did you know? All our Park Tennis venues are officially registered with the LTA, and we provide a variety of coaching packages as well as general hire passes. These options enable us to uphold our commitment to safeguarding standards in alignment with the LTA, while also ensuring equitable access to the courts for coaches to operate their businesses and for players to book and play tennis.

Coaching: We have three authorised coaching providers active at six of the Park Tennis locations. They deliver community tennis programs for both you and adult participants, including free sessions and tasters. For further information, please visit our coaching page clicking here. 

Specific groups: We will evaluate the recommendations of specific coaching groups and particular competitions offerings in collaboration with the authorised coaching providers to determine if any of these suggestions can be integrated into their schedules.

LTA Local Tennis League: The LTA organises mixed singles box leagues throughout the year, managed via their app. For specific details such as entry dates, please check the home page of each venue, or visit the LTA website for more general information by clicking here.

 

 

Thank you 

We extend our thank you’ s to all who participated in our survey. The insights gathered are invaluable, and we will utilise this information to aid our future planning.

Parks Tennis Team