Borough council serves up new tennis courts in Oadby

Published: Friday, 22 May 2026

Oadby & Wigston Borough Council (OWBC) and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) will officially be opening the borough's newest tennis courts at Uplands Park, Oadby, at an open day event on Sunday 31 May.

From 10am - 12pm, there will be an opportunity for people from the local community to pick up a racket and get on court as part of the new weekly Barclays Free Park Tennis session being delivered by local accredited tennis coaches. These free sessions, with equipment provided, will then take place every weekend.

OWBC has invested over £250,000 into the project, which has been delivered in partnership with UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation's Park Tennis Project, which contributed £45,635.

Once open, all courts will be available for members of the public to book via www.lta.org.uk/play. The booking system and gate access technology mean that players can book their sessions in advance to guarantee availability.

Small fees will ensure that the courts are maintained at their high standard for years to come, and OWBC and the LTA will work together to ensure Barclays Free Park tennis sessions are available on the courts.

As well as public access and the weekly Barclays Free Park Tennis sessions, the new courts will host local tennis clubs, giving people the opportunity to get involved in friendly and social local competitions.

Councillor Samia Haq, Leader of OWBC, said: "As a council we're proud to invest in these facilities that will bring communities together, boost the wellbeing of our borough and provide an opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to get active.

"Parts of Oadby were recently found to be the least active area in Leicestershire, so I hope that this will help to change that and give people a chance to get moving and improve their physical and mental health.

"I really encourage our residents to come along and give it a try, and to take advantage of these fantastic new courts. Whether you're a regular player or trying tennis for the first time, these new courts are here for the whole community to enjoy."

The nationwide programme of more than £45million of investment, delivered by the LTA, has seen over 3,000 existing park tennis courts in poor or unplayable condition brought back to life for the benefit of communities across the country, providing vital opportunities for children and adults to get active.

Through the Park Tennis Project, the LTA is delivering the biggest ever investment in parks tennis facilities across Britain, which has been used to build courts across the local area, providing a significant boost to sporting facilities.

Scott Lloyd, LTA Chief Executive, said: "We're delighted to see park tennis courts in Uplands Park open to the public.

"Park tennis courts are vital for providing people with opportunities to pick up a racket, and we want as many people as possible, of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, to enjoy playing tennis and being active. Thanks to this investment the sport will be opened up to more players, for years to come."