Estimated Price

£40,000

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In relation to the identified priorities in the Guidance & Essential criteria what will your idea achieve and who will benefit from your project?

Community involvement is at the heart of our activities since the centre was built over 20 years ago. We are dedicated to continue to offer the community a wide range of sporting activities at a reasonable price in a family friendly environment. The introduction of padel tennis which is a relatively new and inclusive sport will reinvigorate sports provision in Prestwick and support a healthier community.

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Please describe what you plan to do and what the money will be used for? (i.e., purchase equipment/resources)

PT&F is looking to construct a covered Padel tennis court within the grounds of its indoor tennis centre in Prestwick. The provision of a covered court means that Padel tennis can be more available to the local community in any weather throughout the whole of the year. We see the introduction of Padel as an excellent fit to complement our current tennis offering.  We have planning permission in place, and we are currently in the process of raising sufficient funds to enable to project to go-ahead.

The cost of the construction of a covered Padel tennis court is £210,000 (including VAT) and to date we have raised £45,000 from the Lawn Tennis Association (loan), £10,000 from NRS (grant) and a £70,000 from Sportscotland (grant).   The club will be contributing £10,000 and we have applications submitted to The Stanley Morrison Trust (£15,000 grant) and Social Enterprise Scotland (£20,000 Loan).  We therefore currently have a funding gap of £40,000 which we are looking to be provided through the Place Based Investment Fund to complete our funding requirements.

The additional income from the new padel facility will support our drive to make return our organisation to financial stability following trading difficulties in recent years resulting from loss of membership during the Covid pamdemic, and other financial pressures since then including the cost of living crisis and significant overhead increases (eg utility bills, NI costs, living wage increases)