 |
|
 |
|
|
|
The tennis facilities at Leigh are among the best at a members’ club for miles around. We have six artificial grass courts, all with floodlights, and a seventh tarmac court. There’s a large clubhouse, with changing facilities, bar and function rooms.
Our superb facilities were achieved through an investment of more than half a million pounds in the year 2000, with generous support from the Lawn Tennis Association and the Lottery Fund. We continue to upgrade our facilities regularly.
We welcome new members to the club, and have introduced a new range of competitively priced membership fees this season (details of which can be found below). If you are new to the game, you’ll meet other people of a similar standard so that you can learn together, and have lots of fun along the way. If you already play competitive tennis and you’re looking for new challenges, we have more than 15 teams at various levels so you should find something to suit you – but be warned, competition for places can be fierce!
After the game, relax in the club's lounge bar or sit out and watch a cricket match on the members' terrace.
The majority of social tennis at our club is played on Friday evenings and at weekends. Friday night is 'club night' and is a good opportunity for new members to meet other players and join in friendly matches. There is also a friendly club tournament on the first Sunday afternoon of every month which members need to sign up for in the clubhouse.
This season we are introducing a new Wednesday afternoon social tennis gathering which its instigator, Ray Vaughan, describes as "for retired gentlefolk". There will be a small charge, it is open to non-members, and promises to be a friendly and civilised affair (and you don’t have to be retired!). Contact Ray Vaughan for more details.
Towards the end of the season there is usually a Club Championship open to all, including singles and doubles matches.
For many years we have had a busy programme of competitive team tennis at Leigh. We have teams in the Leigh, Bolton, Walkden and Warrington leagues, playing both home and away throughout the summer season.
The six artificial grass courts are in use for matches on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6.30 pm onwards. On match nights, the seventh tarmac court is kept available for social tennis on a first-come, first-served basis (see 'Access to Courts' rules).
The teams are:
| Bolton League | Monday evening | 4 teams of 6 men |
| Bolton Mixed League | Tuesday evening | 1 team of 4 men & 4 ladies |
| Warrington Ladies League | Tuesday evening | 1 team of 6 ladies |
| Warrington Mixed League | Tuesday evening (late season) | 1 team of 3 men & 3 ladies |
| Leigh League | Tuesday evening | 4 teams of 4 men & 2 ladies |
| Walkden League | Wednesday evening | 4 teams of 4 men & 4 ladies |
| Warrington League | Thursday evening | 3 teams of 6 men |
Currently, match fees are £3 for adults and £1 for junior and youth members. An availability list is posted in the clubhouse at the start of the season for members to submit their names for the evenings they wish to be considered for selection.
There is a lively junior tennis section at the club, with two national junior club teams and a team in the Bolton League. A new Junior Tennis Committee has been formed, with ambitious plans to develop junior coaching and playing activities. Saturday morning coaching and team sessions are run by several of our coaches, under the leadership of our Head Coach, Andy Johnson.
The winter season starts on October 1st and runs through until the end of March. Organised (but friendly) matches under floodlights are on Mondays (men), Tuesdays (mixed) and Thursdays (ladies). These nights are popular with players from other clubs that don't have the benefit of floodlights, and they pay a fee for winter membership of £35.
We have several qualified coaches in the club led by Andy Johnson who is one of the most experienced and respected coaches in this area. The other coaches, all DCA qualified, are Nicky Butler, Tom Johnson, Janet Talbot and Mike Brereton. They all offer both group and individual lessons for adults or juniors.
Contact details are:
| Andy Johnson | 07770 573151 | akj_ltd@yahoo.co.uk |
| Nicky Butler | 07919 556121 | nickybutler@fsmail.net |
| Tom Johnson | 07811 187421 | tomjohnson_23@yahoo.co.uk |
| Janet Talbot | 07738 559750 | janettalbot@tiscali.co.uk |
| Mike Brereton | 07966 983690 | michaelbrereton@blueyonder.co.uk |
The courts are available to all members, 7 days a week. There is a gate at either end of the artificial grass courts, and a separate gate for the tarmac court. Gates are kept locked and only members who have paid their subscription are issued with keys. It is important that the courts are locked after use, and that any non-member who attempts to use the courts is denied access.
The rules governing use of the courts are straightforward:
Subscriptions for 2007 are:
| Adult Tennis | £100 |
| Youth Tennis | £50 |
| Junior Tennis | £25 |
| Social Tennis (not playing in league matches) | £50 |
| Winter Tennis (October 1st – March 31st) | £35 |
| Social Life Member | £190 |
| Social Member (Single) | £16 |
| Social Member (Couple) | £25 |
|
Junior members must be under 18 on 1st March 2007. Youth members must be under 21 on 1st March 2007 or in full-time education. 10% reduction in subscriptions for families of 3 or more members. £5 penalty will be levied on members failing to pay by 30th April. | |
Since the 2007 Annual General Meeting, the various club officials are as follows:
| President: | Mrs M Muir |
| Chairman: | Mr J Hunt |
| Treasurer: | Mrs A Ainscough |
| Secretary: | Mr D Marshall |
| Auditor: | Mr R Spedding |
| Mr D Ainscough | Mrs P Bellis |
| Mr M Collier | Mr J Gregory |
| Mr Adam Roussak | Mr L Kniveton |
| Ms S Lloyd | Mr P Edwards |
| Mr D O'Halloran | Mr D Eckersley |
| Mr S Whittaker | Mr G Woodward |
Since the 2005 Annual General Meeting, the officials of the club's tennis section are as follows:
| Chairman: | Nick Peake | 01942 672082 |
| Secretary: | Gary Woodward | 01942 678218 |
| Treasurer: | Peter Bentham | 01942 671245 |
| Head Coach: | Andrew Johnson | 01942 606809 |
| Membership / Social Events: | Pauline Bellis | 01942 609906 |
| Social Tennis: | Ray Vaughan | 01942 679432 |
| Parents' Representative: | Adrian Yates | 01942 879867 |
| Youth Representative: | Kathryn Wise | 01942 261086 |
| Communications: | Clare Gregson | 01942 602505 |
Leigh Cricket, Tennis & Bowling Club
Beech Walk
Leigh
Lancashire
WN7 3LH
01942 671818
The club and tennis courts on Beech Walk are situated at OS map reference 109/655989.
The buttons below provide a series of maps showing the location of Beech Walk at increasing levels of zoom:
Route from the North and North-West
Take the A580(T) East Lancashire Road eastbound towards Manchester. Pass under the M6 at Haydock Island and, after four miles, turn left at traffic lights onto the A579, signposted Bolton and Pennington Flash.
At the next set of lights, with a GMC Fire Station to the left, turn right onto the A572 signposted Leigh. After half a mile, just after a speed camera, turn sharp right onto Beech Walk. The entrance to the club and car park is then about 50 yards further along on the left.
Route from the Wirral
Go through the Wallasey Tunnel (toll payable on entry) and, on exit, follow the slip road to the left signposted for A580 Manchester.
Go straight on through two sets of main traffic lights and, at the third set on Kirkdale Road, bear right uphill onto Everton Valley (towards Anfield and Goodison Park). Go through another set of traffic lights then fork left at the next set onto the A580 Walton Lane.
Continue past Goodison Park then keep straight on, passing Stanley Park on the right. Follow the road around and eventually cross over the A5058 (Queens Drive). Continue straight onto the A580 (Walton Hall Avenue and East Lancashire Road) towards Manchester.
Eventually you will reach the junction with the M6 at Haydock Island. Pass under the M6 and, after four miles, turn left at traffic lights onto the A579, signposted Bolton and Pennington Flash.
At the next set of lights, with a GMC Fire Station to the left, turn right onto the A572 signposted Leigh. After half a mile, just after a speed camera, turn sharp right onto Beech Walk. The entrance to the club and car park is then about 50 yards further along on the left.
Route from South Wirral and North Wales
Follow the M56 eastbound then filter left onto the M6 northbound. Take exit 23 at Haydock Island and turn right to follow the A580(T) East Lancashire Road eastbound towards Manchester. After four miles, turn left at traffic lights onto the A579, signposted Bolton and Pennington Flash.
At the next set of lights, with a GMC Fire Station to the left, turn right onto the A572 signposted Leigh. After half a mile, just after a speed camera, turn sharp right onto Beech Walk. The entrance to the club and car park is then about 50 yards further along on the left.
