LTA boss Michael Downey hopes a tennis partnership in Southend could be replicated across the country.

The town is well served with 10 clubs and Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre but many of the park courts were in poor repair.

A partnership between east regional Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) officers, Southend Council, Active Essex and Fusion Lifestyle has seen some park courts revamped.

Downey, who is the LTA’s chief executive officer, visited the seven facelifted courts and was impressed by what he saw.

“At the LTA we are in a position where we want to see the club network locally flourish and grow but we also want to marry that with making tennis as accessible as possible through making park courts the best they can possibly be,” he said.

“From what I have seen I’m really excited about the opportunity not only in the club network but in the parks that have been upgraded.

“The great work that’s being done here is an example we want to see repeated in other parts of the country.

“It’s not just about playing tennis it’s about trying to make lives better for people and that’s what we are trying to do by working with local government.”

Four council owned courts at Chalkwell Park and three at Priory Park have been totally revamped and floodlit, while a further two in Shoebury's Gunners Park have been resurfaced.

An electronic fob system allows players to book courts online and then swipe their fobs to get access to the courts.

The LTA hopes that some of those playing park tennis will join clubs and progress, allowing the whole tennis network to improve.

“We know our sport has been on a long-term decline and that’s why were focused on participation,” added Downey, who spent nine years as president and CEO of Tennis Canada before joining the LTA two years ago.

“If we can build partnerships over the next five or 10 years then every aspect of tennis benefits.

“The coaches will benefit, clubs will be stronger and high performance will benefit because the base is bigger and the best kids will rise, so there will be more Andy Murrays, Johanna Kontas and Heather Watsons coming through.”

Southend Council successfully applied to the LTA for a £350,000 grant to carry out the works.

But the move was criticised by some in the south Essex tennis world who felt the windfall should have gone to improving club facilities. However, Mr Downey said he believed the clubs would ultimately benefit if parks players joined them to play competitive league tennis.

For more information on the scheme, go to southend parkstennis.com