Within Rossendale all the public parks that had public tennis courts (i.e. free access) have all been taken over and refurbished with newly painted tarmac and new nets.
Along with this there is also coded entry gates, in order to access them you have to pay £6 for an hours prebooked session.
All this was paid for by a government grant to improve tennis playing in the community.
For a long time people either climbed over the fence or used whatever method they needed to, to open the gate from the inside.
No one was actually paying for the use of the courts that were given to the community.
Now one of the gates just opens, the other you can easily reach around.
Gets used alot more now.
We even get free tennis lessons on a Saturday morning.