MAIDSTONE LAWN TENNIS
Maidstone Lawn Tennis Club ( MLTC ) is at the centre of the town ' s sports community , with a welcoming atmosphere and four hard courts to play on , everyone is welcome to come and get social , play competitively , or simply sign up for coaching . Lately things have been made even better at the awardwinning club with the newly opened clubhouse ; a stunning new build , over 50 % bigger than the previous building which was made possible thanks to the generous donations of time and money raised by everyone from local businesses , individual club members and generous sponsors and funders . Though celebrations weren ’ t as extensive as the club had once hoped due to pesky covid , the opening was still a roaring success with 20 of the clubs most supportive members attending .
The new club headquarters include bi-fold doors , a kitchen , spacious dining area , two bathrooms , and ample storage , with the added benefit of a paved social area just outside the clubhouse where members are welcome to relax and socialise . We spoke to John Ratcliffe , clubs and community engagement and lead board member for clubs at Kent Lawn Tennis Association , about how the new clubhouse will serve the local community , to which he proudly exclaimed ; ‘ I can see that for generations to come , this club will be able to deliver top standard tennis facilities for the whole community .’ Club co-chair Richard Dawson also recognises what the new addition means for the future of the club ; ‘ The project has given us an opportunity to future-proof the club , increase our appeal and help serve the local community as a sports hub for all ages and abilities . We are immensely lucky to have had funding and support from such a large pool of incredibly skilled and highly efficient people who have put their passion into creating a clubhouse for our future .’ So if you ’ re a tennis fan get your trainers on and head down to this grassroots hub of sporting excellence , right on our doorstep !
Not content with offering shoppers in the heart of the historic spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells a plethora of shops ; including Fenwick , M & S and L ’ Occitane , and visitors a host of carefully curated experiences , Royal Victoria Place has opened a new unit , Pop In : Pop Up , to provide local organisations and charities with a free , bookable space for workshops , clubs and events .
The Pop Up is Royal Victoria Place ’ s latest community venture , following on from its recent summer partnership with the National Literacy Trust to launch the ‘ Read More , Feel Better ’ campaign , designed to help children across the community to continue reading for fun over the summer holidays ; a ‘ booknic ’ event to inspire reading at local primary schools ; and a pop up gallery to support local artists .
The 1,804 square foot unit has been transformed into a light , open space for independent businesses , community groups and current occupiers in Royal Victoria Place to use for free , enabling them to host classes and events throughout the year .
Speaking of the initiative Nicky Blanchard , centre manager at Royal Victoria Place , said : ‘ Supporting local organisations and charities in Tunbridge Wells , as well as the retailers at Royal Victoria Place , is so important to us and we ’ re really pleased to be able to offer a free space for them to flourish .
‘ From hosting an event or an exercise class , to booking the space for a children ’ s birthday party or trialing a pop-up shop over a longer period , our new Pop In : Pop Up unit is here to help independent businesses spread their wings .’
Designed to help multiple groups , including those who either reside in or out of Royal Victoria Place , gain exposure in the centre and raise their profile to visitors , those who wish to book the unit can do so for up to one day , or for as little as one hour , via the centre ’ s customer service team . Independent businesses can also book the space to use as a pop-up shop for a one-off trial , giving them the chance to try the location before committing to a permanent contract .
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