Game, set and match to club!

A VILLAGE tennis club has won a battle to erect floodlights on its four courts – two years after they were original refused permission by Warrington Borough Council.
The tennis section of Culcheth Sports Club has been given the go-ahead by an independent appeal inspector after its proposals were twice thrown out by local planning chiefs.
Nearby residents had lodged strong objections on the grounds of noise, disturbance and light pollution.
But the inspector says there will not be serious harm – and that occupiers of nearby houses should have known that a large sports club generates noise.
The club can now erect 10 flood lights, eight metres high, to illuminate its four courts.
But the inspector has ruled they must be switched off by 10pm and that the courts nearest the houses should only be used when necessary.
Houses in Paythorne Close are separated from the courts by small back gardens and a 1.8m fences. The nearest property is 7.5 metres from the courts.
Culcheth Sports Club is the largest in the north of Warrington and the tennis section is its largest single contributor to the club’s finances. It also has a football pitch and bowling greens – one of which is already floodlit.
There will be some light spillage into nearby gardens which, while unwelcome, will not prevent their use for sitting out, etc.
The inspector said the club needed longer hours to enable their coaches to earn better incomes. If they could not earn enough they could go elsewhere.