Latest news with #Withdean
Telegraph
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Sir Andy Murray-backed company to rip up tennis courts for padel
A company backed by Sir Andy Murray is to rip up tennis courts on the site of the 'Wimbledon of the south' and replace them with padel courts. BBC commentators Andrew Castle and Annabel Croft are also investors and ambassadors in Game4Padel, which is behind a conversion that has sparked the second tennis-versus-padel row in less than a week. The plans to remove Withdean Sports Complex's two indoor tennis courts were announced on Friday by Brighton & Hove City Council, three days after it emerged courts built for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in London faced a similar fate. News of G4P's involvement in the latest venture also came two days after Murray was promoting a Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and Government initiative that has led to more than 3,000 dilapidated park tennis courts being brought back to life in three years. Withdean Sports Complex is on the site of Withdean Stadium, which the LTA developed as a tennis venue in 1936, the year Fred Perry won Britain's last Wimbledon men's singles title prior to Murray ending what was a 77-year drought in 2013. The stadium became known as the 'Wimbledon of the south' before being converted into an athletics arena in 1955. Said to be 'the only' location in Brighton with indoor tennis courts, the sports complex underwent a £2.7 million facelift the year Murray first won Wimbledon. Murray invested in G4P in 2019, since when the company's value has reportedly surged to £27 million. Castle and Croft are also among the high-profile backers, along with current and former Premier League footballers Virgil van Dijk, Jamie Vardy, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Tammy Abraham and Callum Wilson. Telegraph Sport revealed on Tuesday that a row had broken out over plans to rip up all four indoor tennis courts at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre and replace them with padel courts. The move was branded an 'absolute betrayal' of the London 2012 legacy and that of Murray's Wimbledon success and it was publicly denounced by the LTA. A petition was also launched which had attracted more than 1,250 signatures by 2pm on Saturday. Among those to sign it was Olympic Park resident Sinjon Vedi, 48, who told Telegraph Sport he was 'shocked' a company Murray had invested in was behind the Brighton scheme, calling it a 'betrayal of his Wimbledon, Olympic and tennis legacy'. A similar petition was created on Friday in a bid to save the Withdean courts, which had attracted more than 400 signatures by the same time on Saturday. Begun by Robin Coleman it read: 'If this plan goes ahead, it will eliminate the ONLY indoor tennis facilities in Brighton & Hove, significantly impacting our community. 'Withdean's indoor courts are essential for year-round tennis, especially during winter and bad weather. Moving lessons outdoors will drastically reduce availability for everyone, as outdoor courts are already shared with other sports like netball. 'Tennis has a rich 150-year history in the UK. Padel, while growing, is a relatively new sport and may prove to be a passing trend. Converting permanent, well-utilised facilities without long-term evidence of padel's sustained demand is a risky move that could lead to poor returns for our council and community. There are already plans to build new padel courts in the car park, which would meet demand without sacrificing our valuable indoor tennis courts. 'We urge the Brighton & Hove City Council to immediately pause these plans and initiate a full and transparent public consultation process. Our community deserves to have its voice heard on the future of Withdean Sports Complex and its cherished indoor tennis courts. Sign this petition to tell Brighton & Hove City Council to save Withdean's indoor tennis courts and consult with the community!' Upon announcing the move on Friday, the council said in a statement that its decision had been made in partnership with venue operator Freedom Leisure, that the conversion work would be funded by G4P, and that it would begin in August with the aim of being completed the following month. It said an extra tennis court was currently being added to three existing outdoor courts. It added: 'We're keen to encourage more residents to be active on a regular basis and the hope is that by adding more padel courts, even more people will be able to enjoy the physical and mental wellbeing benefits of playing regular sport.' Councillor Alan Robins, Cabinet member for Sports, Recreation and Libraries, said: 'We know there will be people who are disappointed we are having to reduce the number of tennis courts at Withdean, but unfortunately the indoor courts there are only in use for around a third of the time they're available, and with such high demand for padel courts, we have to take fair and rational decisions on the best use of our facilities. 'We're continuing to invest in our leisure facilities and we're determined to improve the accessibility, availability and variety of sports on offer. These new padel courts will help us do just that.' Murray, Castle and Croft, have all been approached for comment. In a statement, the LTA said: 'We want to preserve well used indoor tennis courts wherever we can whilst growing opportunities for padel. We were only made aware of this decision on Friday and now want to engage further with the Council and Freedom Leisure to understand their rationale.' The chief executive of G4P, Michael Gradon, was unwilling or unable to say whether any of them had backed the scheme or had been consulted over it. He added: 'It's not for me to comment on Brighton council's decision about Withdean. We were the padel provider there anyway and, obviously, we accept their judgment that the occupancy of the indoor tennis was very disappointing and it'll bring far more people into a healthy sport.' He also said G4P was operating 'six brand new, state-of-the-art tennis courts on Hove beachfront'.
Daily Mail
12-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Fury as Brighton Council plan for gender-neutral changing village at new pool being built by firm founded by Olympic swimmers
A new £5.5million pool in Brighton designed by a firm founded by Olympic swimming stars have provoked fury over plans suggesting a gender-neutral changing village. Campaigners say women and children could be put at risk as they raised questions about the mooted new facilities at Withdean Sports Complex. Venue owner Brighton and Hove City Council has handed the contract for the pool's design to ReCreation, a company set up by four-time Olympic medallist Dame Rebecca Adlington and fellow Olympic swimmers Steve Parry and Adrian Turner. Councillors have hailed 'plans for this much needed new swimming pool' to be built at the Withdean sports base, which has an athletics stadium that was formerly home to Brighton and Hove Albion FC between 1999 and 2011. But critics have drawn attention to how the newly published plans, put out to public consultation, promise 'Gender neutral changing village and toilets'. The local authority has since said there has been a 'misunderstanding' about the published plans, while suggesting they had been wrongly phrased. Complaints are now pouring in to the council's online questionnaire seeking reaction, with gender-critical campaigners raising concerns about single-sex only facilities potentially allowing predatory men access to women and children. Planning documents shared as part of an ongoing public consultation plan show designs for the new pool's footprint, accompanied by a page listing 'Key considerations' and headed 'Accessible for everyone'. The document says the proposals are for 'a new facility designed for inclusion and wellbeing' that would 'ensure access for all users'. The design features are listed as including 'ramped and stair access to suit all levels of mobility', a 'wheelchair-accessible changing cubicle' and 'designated wheelchair spaces in the spectator area'. Yet critics have highlighted one of the other bullet points which states: 'Gender-neutral changing village and toilets designed with inclusivity in mind.' Similar concerns have been raised over gender-neutral changing facilities at other leisure centres nationwide, with the group Women's Rights Network calling for curbs. Brighton and Hove City Council has shared a possible floor plan for the proposed new pool - saying cubicles would include 'a mix of single, double, family and accessible'. Human rights charity Sex Matters have said the floor plan did not appear to indicate provision for single-sex facilities. The organisation's director of advocacy Helen Joyce said: 'It's incomprehensible that any council would choose to build a new community pool with only "gender neutral" - that is, mixed sex - changing facilities. 'Most people, of both sexes, prefer single sex facilities for privacy and dignity, and for women they are important for safety too. 'There is increasing evidence that mixed sex changing rooms and toilets are a gift to predatory men who seek to harass, abuse and sexually assault women and girls.' She told of increasing reports of phone-related incidents in 'gender-neutral' changing rooms and toilets as well as complaints that men have been hiding cameras in such facilities to record women in a state of undress. Ms Joyce added: 'If Withdean Sports Complex really wants to be "inclusive", it shouldn't design its facilities in a way that will put off women and girls, especially those who have suffered abuse or are from religions and cultures where sharing changing rooms with men is unacceptable.' Faye McGinty, of Women's Rights Network which has been campaigning against such 'gender-neutral changing villages', called for authorities to show more concern. She said: 'We know that the changing village design for swimming pools is a magnet for predatory males. 'All over the country, women and girls are constantly put at risk of voyeurism and other forms of sexual abuse in these mixed sex changing rooms in the name of 'inclusivity'. 'Councils, architects and Sport England need to look at the overwhelming evidence of harm and review any new and ongoing projects like the Withdean Sports Complex, considering the safety of women and girls through a robust risk assessment and consultation with women's groups.' Gender-critical activist Kellie-Jay Keen warned that such gender -neutral changing villages would put women and children in danger if not safely signed. She said the quality of such facilities did vary - as she praised those at her nearest leisure centre in Wiltshire for having entirely enclosed cubicles, with walls running from floor to ceiling. But she said others made people more vulnerable to indecent exposure, voyeurism and sexual assaults. She told MailOnline: 'These gender-neutral changing villages do seem to be on the rise. I live in Wiltshire and we've got one and I was encouraged to see the cubicles do seem to be fully enclosed. 'If they are fully enclosed, right to the top from the floor and are fully impenetrable, I don't see there's anything wrong with them. 'But if, say, a mobile phone can come through any gaps or pierce a hole, then it's simply not good enough. 'Anything less than being fully enclosed puts women and children at risk.' Brighton and Hove City Council sources have suggested in response to the backlash that there had been a 'misunderstanding' following phrasing in the published plans and insisted users would be kept separate in the proposed 'village'. They said lockable toilets and changing rooms would be similar to those seen in leisure centres nationwide. And they described the phrasing in the published documents as 'something, we'll have to have a chat, the way it's been worded'. Councillor Alan Robins, cabinet member for sports, recreation and libraries, today said: 'There has been a misunderstanding over the naming of the facilities on the designs. 'But to be clear, they are for the industry standard, individual, lockable cubicles used at leisure facilities up and down the country. 'We are delighted to be consulting on a new state of the art swimming pool for residents of Brighton and Hove.' A formal planning application related to the proposed new pool is expected to be submitted to Brighton and Hove City Council later this year. But initial designs and plans for the five-lane, 25m facility were revealed this month, with councillor Mr Robins describing the unveiling as 'incredibly exciting'. He said: 'As a coastal city it's vital that all our children and young people have the chance to learn to swim at an affordable price, and that we listen to the views of our residents and do everything we can to provide modern, sustainable and affordable sporting facilities for all.' The project, given an estimated budget of £5.5million, is being overseen by swimming pool design firm ReCreation, part of the Swim network of UK-wide community pools. The company says on its website: 'Using innovative technology and designs, we deliver bespoke public leisure buildings for a fraction of the traditional cost. 'Every project we undertake becomes our passion and we offer a complete, dedicated design and delivery team that collaborates with each client on a case-by-case basis to provide an optimum, cost-effective leisure solution.' Adrian Turner, director of ReCreation, said earlier this year when the Withdean partnership was announced: 'Our guarantee is a swimming pool that the community will love. 'We will be using the latest design and engineering technologies to develop a pool that will be warm, safe and inviting. 'For 11 years in a row, more pools in the UK have closed than opened, so we are thrilled to be reversing that trend with Brighton & Hove City Council.' The firm has been described as the country's leading provider of above-ground pools, after being founded in 2009 alongside the Pools4Schools initiative. They opened Britain's first Olympic-length above-ground pool in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham in 2019. Dame Rebecca and Parry also set up Swim!, an organisation set up 'to help children to swim' - with regular sessions held weekly at pools across the country. The company describes them as 'passionate about teaching children to swim' and how they were 'achieving this by opening state-of-the-art, family-friendly centres around the UK'. Dame Rebecca, 36, won two gold medals at London 2012 - the first British swimmer to hold two golds since 1908. She followed that up with a pair of bronzes at the Summer Games in Rio four years later.
BBC News
02-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Brighton council to unveil plans for Withdean swimming pool
Initial designs for a new swimming pool at a Brighton sports centre will be put on public display on plans for the 25m pool at the Withdean Sports Complex will be unveiled online ahead of a public consultation.A Brighton & Hove City Council spokesperson said work on the pool was hoped to start in the "early part of 2026", subject to a full planning Robins, cabinet member for sport, said the council wanted to provide "modern, sustainable and affordable sports facilities for all". An online survey on the five-lane pool will run until 27 June, and three public events are being can see the plans on Tuesday at Westdene Library, and the following Monday and Tuesday in Withdean Sports Complex.A planning application for the swimming pool is due to be submitted in the summer, a council spokesperson Robins said: "It's incredibly exciting that plans for this much-needed new swimming pool at Withdean are about to be unveiled."I'm looking forward to seeing the plans and would encourage residents to get along to the drop-in sessions and complete the survey to help us shape this exciting and much needed new facility."Councillors were previously told the new facility could generate £12,000 profit per year.
