Badgers Tennis Club: Kemp Town site in talks with landlord

Badgers’ Tennis Club had been at threat after an eviction notice meant the club had two months left to survive.

However, after a campaign including support from tennis titan Judy Murray, the eviction notice for the courts in Brighton's Church Place has been rescinded and talks are ongoing with the landowners.

Liz Foster, chairwoman of the club’s management committee, said: "I am happy to report that on behalf of the management committee I have signed an agreement with our landlords by which they will rescind the eviction notice and we will end our campaign.

“The two sides have also agreed to work towards an arrangement that would secure the club’s long-term occupancy of the site.

“In practical terms, this will mean resuming the long-running discussion of partial development, which has been in abeyance since our AGM a year ago, but with an unprecedented offer from the landlords to give us, for nothing, the freehold of the rest of the site if Court 4 were developed for housing.

“We will convene another AGM as soon as possible for members to comment and decide how to proceed.

“I would like to express my immense gratitude to all those inside and outside the club who have enabled us to reach the current agreement."

Ms Foster added that the landlords and the club were happy that negotiations had begun but stressed that no permanent deal had been secured.

Badgers was at risk of being without a home in 2018 when it was told the lease would not be renewed, however after a huge amount of public support, landowners the Chotai family backed down.

There had been fears that the site would be turned into “luxury housing” after the site was sold in 2010.

The campaign to save the site was joined by Judy Murray, prominent tennis coach and mother to Wimbledon winners Andy and Jamie Murray.

She said: “Places and spaces to play are crucial for the nation’s health and wellbeing and community clubs are the bedrock of tennis across the country.”