The Story of Thongsbridge Tennis and Fitness
Chapter Nine, part One – LTA ‘Club of the Year’
2000 – The previous, relatively modest, plans are changed, courtesy of the Sport England Lottery bid, an interest free loan and a grant from the LTA, a grant from Kirklees, a loan from Thwaites brewery, plus club funds and other interest free loans. Jim Vigor has helped Mike and the team put together the financial models for the grant application.
The plan is now:
Phase 1 – 5 outdoor courts to have artificial grass and floodlights
Phase 2 – a clubhouse/admin centre, 2 further indoor courts and 2 outdoor, a Fitness Centre
Phase 3 – a Kids Zone court layout
Road resurfacing and car parking area to be undertaken
A Millenium Ball is held on 15th September in Huddersfield Town Hall; tickets are £40 for a 5 course gourmet dinner and dancing to Cloud Nine.
Teams continue to perform well:
Thongsbridge men are National League Division 4 winners, gaining promotion to Division 3
Intermediates are champions of the Wilson Huddersfield League for the second year running, and
Juniors are champions of Section A of the Wilson Huddersfield League.
2001 – 23rd January – work starts to remove and replace the ageing shale courts, financed by an 80k LTA interest free loan.
It is hoped that the new courts will be ready for the start of the new season in April, but, as these photos show, the weather has something to say about that!
