Nottingham Tennis Centre to be run by Lawn Tennis Association

The LTA has pledged to upgrade facilities at the centre

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is to take over the running of Nottingham Tennis Centre from the city council.

The council said in 2019 it was looking for a new leaseholder for the centre to help it make budget savings.

Now it has agreed a 150-year lease with the sport's national governing body for the University Boulevard site, starting on 1 May.

The LTA has pledged a major upgrade for the 39-court facility, which was opened by the council in 1990.

This will include hard courts being resurfaced and the installation of new indoor courts, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Nottingham City Council estimated passing the running of the centre to the LTA would save about £140,000 over the next two years.

Eunice Campbell-Clark, the authority's portfolio holder for leisure, said: "We truly believe this agreement is the best way of building tennis in the city and beyond using the strong foundations that are already in place at the centre."

Gary Stewart, the LTA's head of operations, said: "We're delighted to be taking over the lease and running of the centre.

"This is a strategically important site for British tennis, and this move will allow us to safeguard its future."