Tennis courts across Tameside are remaining closed over social distancing fears – despite the government saying they are allowed to reopen.
The latest guidance states that outdoor sports facilities – such as tennis and basketball courts, golf courses and bowling greens – can open up again as lockdown eases.
The government’s coronavirus recovery strategy said that from May 13, people will be allowed to exercise ‘as many times each day as they wish’ with one other person from outside their household.
After hearing about the new guidance, Alex Walker tried to play tennis at a park in Tameside with his girlfriend, but found that courts remained locked.
West End Park in Ashton-under-Lyne, and Dukinfield Park both have hard court areas which before coronavirus hit were open to the public.
“Personally, I can’t see why singles tennis is any more dangerous than a whole host of other things that seem to be taking place now,” he said
Other boroughs, such as Manchester, Salford and Oldham have reopened their tennis courts.
But bosses in Tameside say since they cannot monitor their courts or games areas to ensure social distancing is taking place, they won’t be opening them.
Under the guidelines, those exercising outdoors with someone from outside their household should stay two metres apart at all times.
A Tameside council spokesperson said: “The government has said sports courts can be opened as long as social distancing can be maintained.
“Unfortunately as ours are all located in public open space we cannot monitor them for social distancing all the time.
“We know that sports courts and MUGAs (multi use games areas) attract large groups of younger people who are not social distancing and therefore unfortunately we are not opening them at this stage.
“However we are continuously reviewing all our services and therefore we will open them as soon as we think we can do so safely.
“In the meantime all our parks are open and people can use the grass areas for playing games as long as social distancing is maintained.”
While recreational activities such as tennis, angling and golf will be permitted, team sports will not be allowed ‘except with members of your own household’, the government has said.
People will also be allowed to spend time outdoors sunbathing or have a picnic with one other person from a different household.
But playgrounds, outdoor gyms and ‘ticketed outdoor leisure venues’ – where there is a higher risk of close contact – remain off-limits under step one of the plans.
