A new clubhouse for Tain Tennis Club which will provide - for the first time in the club's 100-year history - purpose built changing facilities, kitchen facilities and a place to hold club meetings and social events was officially opened on Saturday 16th April.

In recent years the club has operated from rapidly deteriorating portable accommodation with a leaky roof, but this new clubhouse will enable regular club meetings to be held as well as providing an ideal venue for social events and competitions.

The clubhouse was officially opened by Constance Charlotte Beaton, who has been involved with the club for many years and was president from 1992 to 1995. She has played a key role in keeping the club going and in June 1996 witnessed the completion of three new all-weather courts, for which she had campaigned.

Over 80 people attended the opening ceremony despite the inclement weather, and the celebrations lasted all weekend, with a junior doubles tournament and barbeque held on Saturday and a senior doubles tournament and party on Sunday.

Tain Tennis Club, which dates back to the 1890s, is one of the major recreational facilities in the town and is the only Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) affiliated club north of Inverness, therefore attracting membership from a wide catchment area.

The club already works closely with local primary schools allowing them to use the courts free of charge. Now that Tain Royal Academy has had to replace their tennis courts in order to install an all weather pitch, the club is the only venue for older local children to participate in the sport.

Ross and Cromarty Enterprise (RACE) provided assistance of £8,686 towards the total cost of almost £22,000 to build the clubhouse and practice wall. Funding was also provided by the Tain Common Good Fund, Awards for All, the Co-op Members Dividend Fund and Club Vision.

Club president John Waring and his wife Eveline, who is secretary of the club, along with the committee members have worked hard and organised various fundraising events over the last few years in order to raise the money for the new facility, and are confident that it will attract new members.

Eveline said: "The new clubhouse is absolutely tremendous. The work was completed three weeks ago, but it's already had an impact. There's quite a buzz around the club, and we have had a lot of interest regarding new memberships. It will make a huge difference to the club and the local community. We are extremely grateful to everyone who supported us - without all this help we would not have managed to raise the money for this fabulous new clubhouse."
 
Lindsay Campbell, development manager at RACE, said: "We were delighted to be able to help towards the cost of this new community facility, which will ensure that members of the club have a permanent building from which they can operate and maximise the potential of the tennis courts for the local and surrounding communities."