Norbury Park Lawn Tennis Club faced the daunting task of coming up with £85,000 to stop Croydon Council selling the site where it’s based.
But hard work, determination and the generosity of locals and other tennis clubs saw them hit the target in March this year, about 19 months after they were first informed of the threat of closure.
Now the club has completed the purchase of the lease from the council, but they face a new challenge in making the club financially sustainable long-term, as tennis alone won’t keep the club running.
Committee member Blaise Westmaas told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “If we did not buy it from the council ourselves, it would have been a disaster because this place would have been under a new landlord.
“They could have quadrupled the rates for us and priced us out.”
“A developer would have loved this place, especially considering where we are,” he added.
Founded in 1890, the club is thought to be one of the oldest in the world.
Describing the sudden threat of the council selling the site as “a huge shock” Blaise said there was an assumption from the local authority the club would already have the cash in the bank.
“They didn’t know that we were not flush with cash,” said Blaise.
Determined not to let this be the end, the club pooled its resources, scraped together all its reserves and put extensive efforts into fundraising.
Fellow committee member Carole Watson said: “We really had to get ourselves into gear.”
From December 2024 to April 2025, members launched a whirlwind fundraising campaign to secure the club’s future.
They adopted a three-pronged approach, combining a GoFundMe page, community events such as an Easter egg hunt, and an auction of goods and experiences.
Other tennis clubs donated thousands to the fundraiser and Carole recalled the support that came from unexpected places.
She said: “We had a London-based business phone us up and ask to use our courts… they had read about our situation online and wanted to help.
“They had a lovely day, and they all stayed after and had some drinks with us.”
The GoFundMe page, promoted with help from the LDRS, raised £25,000, and Surrey Tennis stepped in with a loan to bridge the gap.
Committee members were also touched by donations from former members now living as far away as the US.
“The local community really got behind us during the fundraising drive,” Carole said.
Despite their success, finances remain tight.
“Our coffers are pretty empty at the moment,” Blaise admitted, highlighting the ongoing need for a sinking fund and regular maintenance of the site.
The ageing clubhouse is the next area in need of attention.
“This place is basically an old wooden hut, and we are subject to climate change levies as a result,” Blaise added.
Still, the atmosphere at the club has been buoyed by the recent victory.
“We have had a lot more young people and a lot more women sign up,” said Blaise.
The number of women’s teams has also doubled from two to four since the purchase.
The LDRS previously spoke to one of its longest-standing members, 76-year-old Khamsay Phommavongsa, who once played alongside tennis legends Arthur Ashe and Stan Smith.
“At the beginning, I was just looking for a tennis club near me… then I met the people, they are very friendly and nice,” he told the LDRS at the time.
He added: “They asked me to come midweek, and I have never left since… everybody is really friendly, it’s like a family.”
Looking ahead, both Blaise and Carole believe the key is to diversify. “Tennis alone is not the most lucrative business model,” Carole said.
The club has already experimented with pickleball and volleyball to increase revenue, and Blaise said they would like to do padel board.
However, both remained tight-lipped about revealing future plans for the club.
When asked what advice they would give to other Croydon sports clubs in similar situations, they were clear.
“You have to engage your members,” Blaise said.
“Once we set up the committee we would meet weekly, then the thing had a life of its own and it started rolling.”
The club still has no date set for an official celebration, but they say one is definitely on the horizon.
“We want to invite everyone who has helped us,” said Carole.
