A TENNIS stalwart has bid a fond farewell to the clubhouse he helped build 46 years ago.

Brian Wilson, 83, told current members of Heworth Tennis Club how the basic brick pavilion was a self-build by the then members, using their bricklaying and carpentry skills and cost £100.

He went back to the club on East Parade in Heworth recently to say farewell as work started on demolishing the clubhouse to make way for a new building.

Brian, who still lives in Heworth, said: "I'm amazed it's still standing. It was only supposed to be a very basic, temporary building.”

Club chairman, Helen Walker, said: "The clubhouse was beyond repair with leaks and large cracks appearing over the years in the walls and floor.

"We have been fortunate enough to access Sport England Inspired Facilities funds, together with significant monies from City of York Council to build a new clubhouse with up-to-date facilities, as well as potential use for the local community in Heworth. It’s a great day to see the start of the rebuild, as we have been battling to keep the old building going for several years now.

“Club membership has been growing, in spite of the poor state of the building, but it will be an added bonus to have a warmer, dryer, modern clubhouse and will create a new space for use by the wider community."

The new clubhouse, being built by local Heworth builders, Paradigm Developments, is expected to be ready in the late Spring.

The club's junior tennis coordinator, Trish Leach, said: "Although the two East Parade courts are out of action during the building work, club activities are continuing as usual on the Glen Garden courts, with our wide range of coaching opportunities for youngsters and adults of all levels and abilities."

The new clubhouse will be available for hire by small groups during the day and some evenings, when not in use by the tennis club. For more information about playing tennis and about the clubhouse see www.heworthtennisclub.co.uk

The tennis club benefitted from £41,625 in Lottery cash for the new clubhouse and the National Lottery say the club was one of 51 Lottery grants totalling £4.5 million invested in York projects last year alone.

Other projects included £71,100 to York City Knights Foundation for its York and Proud Rugby League Heritage Project and £8,850 to Magnetic Arts to provide weekly creative drop-in-sessions for people experiencing mental ill health or a disability.