Three-court indoor tennis centre to be built in Dumfries & Galloway

Nearly £1.7m has been awarded by the TSIT fund, supported by nearly £500,000 from Dumfries & Galloway Council and £200,000 from the Holywood Trust.

Under TSIT, the LTA, LTA Tennis Foundation, sportscotland and Tennis Scotland are working in partnership with Dumfries & Galloway Council to improve year-round access to tennis in the area.

Featuring three indoor hard courts, the tennis centre is scheduled to open its doors in 2025 and will provide a base for the sport for Dumfries & Galloway and the many rural communities in the area. There is already a strong tennis infrastructure in the area with 11 registered clubs and close to 1000 playing members, and there will be a firm focus on growing participation among all ages and abilities through the new centre.

The plans will include a raised viewing area, office space and accessible changing areas. It will be an inclusive, accessible and affordable facility providing more opportunities for people to play tennis.

The £1.7m of funding from the TSIT fund operated by the LTA, LTA Tennis Foundation, sportscotland and Tennis Scotland includes a £211,347 loan to Dumfries & Galloway Council, with the total cost of the project set to be £2,361,937.

The organisations involved put in a concerted effort to find additional funding to make the project a reality in a challenging financial climate after increased costs in the construction industry caused a rise in the total cost of the facility from original projections. Holywood Trust, a local charity which helps young people in the area, are making a significant contribution of £200,000.

The new facility at the King George V Complex in Dumfries represents further progress on improving Scotland’s indoor tennis infrastructure. Two new venues have opened in recent months, in July a four-court £1.63m centre in Elgin, operated by Moray Sports Centre, opened its doors to players, while the £4.5m six-court Oriam Indoor Tennis Centre in Edinburgh is flourishing after opening at the end of 2023.

The Dumfries and Galloway project reaffirms the shared commitment of the TSIT partners to meet the demand for indoor tennis facilities across the country.

‘Significant moment’

Blane Dodds, Chief Executive of Tennis Scotland, said: “Today’s announcement of a new indoor tennis centre in Dumfries & Galloway is a significant moment for the ongoing expansion of facilities across Scotland. As our sport continues to grow, it’s so important to ensure there is access to year-round tennis and this new centre will do just that. It will allow people to play who are new to the game and want to improve and compete, and aligns perfectly with our vision of creating more opportunities for people to get involved with tennis across the country.

“New indoor centres have already opened in Edinburgh and Moray this year and this project in Dumfries & Galloway gives further momentum to the growth of tennis in Scotland, which is seeing record club membership and more players competing at the highest levels. I want to thank everyone involved in reaching this stage for their support and ambition, and I look forward to the opening of an important new facility.”

Dumfries and Galloway Council Leader Gail Macgregor said: “I’m delighted to see this project moving forward. Our Council has committed half a million pounds towards the costs and this clear commitment is a strong sign of the importance we place on this facility, and indeed of facilities of its nature. Having such an accessible facility in our largest town in the region will not only be excellent for local tennis players, but will attract people into the region, boosting the local economy. I look forward to seeing building works commence.”

Chief Executive of sportscotland Forbes Dunlop, said: “This is another important development for tennis in Scotland. This new indoor tennis centre in Dumfries is a fantastic example of what can be delivered when we work in partnership across the sporting sector.

“Our aim with the TSIT fund was to improve year-round access to tennis in key areas across Scotland and this is a significant milestone in that journey. I look forward to seeing the impact it has for the local communities and for the sport.”

Scott Lloyd, CEO of the LTA, said: “We are committed to investing in Scotland, and more indoor facilities are absolutely crucial to our ambition to open up tennis to new audiences. This new centre at Dumfries and Galloway will be a valuable addition to the existing network of community indoor tennis centres across Britain that play a pivotal role in supporting the physical and mental health of people in their local communities. This project will enable more people to play throughout the winter months and provide much needed facilities to the local tennis community.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners to drive greater visibility and engagement in tennis, to get more people playing the sport.’’

Karen Ward Boyd, Director of The Holywood Trust, said: “The Trust welcomes the development of an accessible indoor tennis facility within the region and is happy to contribute towards the cost of such a project, with the aim of providing an excellent facility for our local young people and the development of player pathways, saving young people from having to travel long distances to other centres across Scotland. We hope that the new tennis centre located at the King George V in Dumfries will help to inspire the wider community to take part in the sport and support talented players to achieve their ambition.”