ARTIFICIAL SPORTS SURFACES
This was our first experience of Playrite products and people . We are delighted with both – good , honest , quality people and a great product
Tony Pensom
Since the refurbishment of 2 tennis courts at the beginning of 2020 , the Shotley & Benfieldside Tennis Club started to encounter an increase in court usage . This inspired the club to consider a second phase refurbishment to replace the remaining 3 court surfaces .
ounded in 1893 , Shotley
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& Benfieldside Tennis Club in County Durham , is an established community tennis club with a thriving social scene , consisting of a unique indoor floodlit court and 5 additional outdoor tennis courts , all of which are artificial . The club decided to refurbish 2 of the courts in 2020 as they were worn and in need of replacement . The positive reaction from members enjoying the new courts and the increasing influx of court usage , prompted the club to consider replacing the remaining 3 courts .
Whilst the remaining 3 courts were still in a reasonable condition , they showed signs of wear & tear and had started to become unreliable in poor weather and prone to flooding . To help fund the project , members were asked to renew annual fees earlier than normal and were offered the opportunity to purchase a special 5 or 10 year membership . This investment allowed the club to fund the project and ensure that the work would be completed before the 2021 season began .
The club ’ s committee nominated a working party to investigate the market and test surfaces . Initial findings identified that Playrite ’ s Grandplay surface would provide the unrivalled durability and performance the club was after .
Grandplay is Playrite ’ s most popular tennis surface , suited for tennis players who want a faster pace . With a uniformed tuft density design to simulate a natural grass court with a positive grip underfoot , it makes it the preferred choice for many clubs . To ensure that the surface was the right choice , the committee visited several clubs with Grandplay installed , and tested the surfaces out by playing a few games of tennis . The committee had several technical discussions with Playrite to agree some amendments to the specification to meet their needs and achieve direct equivalence with the previously installed courts . Playrite recommended local contractors Fosse Contracts to complete the surface installation , and having partnered together on similar projects , were also able to offer a full turnkey solution that delivered an excellent all-weather playing surface .
Committee Member , Tony Pensom commented “ This was our first experience of Playrite products and people . We are delighted with both – good , honest , quality people and a great product ”.
The project was completed ready for the 2021 season and members have been thrilled to experience the new courts .
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GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | January / February 2023 33