DAVID LLOYD LEISURE SERVES UP LTA TENNIS TUESDAYS AND GREAT BRITISH TENNIS WEEKENDS IN SUMMER DRIVE TO GET NATION PLAYING

The UK’s leading tennis provider, David Lloyd Leisure, is launching a summer tennis drive to encourage everyone to pick up a racquet and start playing this summer, hosting new LTA Tennis Tuesdays and the Great British Tennis Weekend 2015.

Aimed at increasing grass-roots tennis participation across the UK by harnessing the country’s love of Wimbledon, the campaign kicks off this Saturday 16-Sunday 17 May, from 2-5pm. The group’s racquets clubs* will offer the whole family a chance to try tennis at the first of three Great British Tennis Weekends, in association with the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association). This will be followed by the weekends of 13-14 June and 1-2 August.

In June, Europe’s premier health, sports and leisure group will also launch the LTA initiative, Tennis Tuesdays, at its racquets clubs in the London, Birmingham, Greater Manchester, Leeds and Cardiff areas.

The weekly pay-as-you-go sessions with expert coaches, which will take place every Tuesday until the end of September, are aimed at inspiring more women to get on court to improve their game, while keeping fit, having fun and meeting like-minded people.

With a tennis heritage spanning more than 30 years, David Lloyd Leisure provides more tennis courts and experts than any other health and fitness operator in the UK.

The group offers more than 800 indoor and outdoor tennis courts at 69 of its 81 UK clubs – with more than a third of the total number of indoor tennis courts in the country – while operating the world’s largest tennis team, comprising more than 400 LTA-qualified tennis coaches.

David Lloyd Leisure also runs the world’s biggest junior tennis coaching programme, Tennis All Stars, which sees 12,500 youngsters playing on its courts each week.

David Bulgin, David Lloyd Leisure’s group racquets manager, said: “As the UK’s leading tennis provider with a unique tennis heritage, we want to encourage as many people as possible to pick up a racquet this summer and show them that tennis is fantastic sport - whatever your age, gender or ability.

“We’re thrilled to be launching the LTA’s Tennis Tuesdays to encourage more ladies to get on court to learn the basics or improve their skills with our expert coaches – with the emphasis on keeping fit, having fun and making new friends.

“We’re also delighted to play host again to this summer’s Great British Tennis Weekends, which will give the whole family a chance to try tennis for free. But if you can’t make it along to our sessions, we’d urge everyone to dust off their racquets and have a hit.

“It’s simple and easy for anyone to start playing; we have over 800 tennis courts across the country, but there are also lots of courts in private clubs and parks across the country – and the garden or park is a great place to start!”

For more information on tennis at David Lloyd Leisure, visit www.davidlloyd.co.uk. For more on the Great British Tennis Weekends at David Lloyd Leisure, go to www.davidlloyd.co.uk/gbtw

*Excludes Chelsea and Notting Hill Harbour Clubs, David Lloyd Belfast, Kidbrooke and Chigwell. Also includes David Lloyd Dublin.

ENDS

Note to editors: For further information about this press release and tennis interviews, contact the David Lloyd Leisure press office on 01707 289833/4 or email press@davidlloyd.co.uk.

About David Lloyd Leisure Group

The David Lloyd Leisure Group operates 81 clubs in the UK and a further 10 clubs across Europe, comprising David Lloyd Clubs , Harbour Clubs and Next Generation, plus the new high street concept, David Lloyd Studio. It has approximately 450,000 members and employs 6,000 people. This includes an expert health and fitness team of over 1,800, while it contracts the services of more than 400 tennis professionals. Across all clubs, David Lloyd Leisure has over 150 swimming pools (of which half are indoors) and offers over 10,000 exercise classes per week. Every week 20,000 children learn to swim at David Lloyd Leisure and 12,500 learn to play tennis. Its racquets facilities are unparalleled with 800 tennis courts as well as 180 badminton courts and 140 squash courts. Additional facilities include health and beauty spas, club lounges with free internet access, crèches, nurseries and specialist sports shops.