What we offer

Summer Leagues

Every summer we have ladies, mens and mixed leagues. Each team consists of six players (a rarity in tennis nowadays). There are ten weeks of matches from early May through to end of July (with a break for May half-term). Matches take place in evenings only with all leagues playing in the same week. There is a lot of tennis crammed in to each week.

Winter Leagues

The winter leagues are modified slightly from what goes on in the summer. Each team consists of four players. There are still ten weeks of matches from early September to the end of March. The matches are played on a fortnightly basis with the mixed leagues one week and the ladies and mens the next. All played outdoors in the unpredictable weathers of South East Essex which usually postpones few of the matches. A credit to the all weather tennis playing community of this corner of Essex.

Summer Tournaments

Knock out tournaments for members of all affiliated clubs are available in the summer. These consist of the following competitions: Mens Singles (including Plate) Ladies Singles (including Plate) Mens Doubles (including Plate) Veterans Mens Doubles (including Plate) Ladies Doubles Veterans Ladies Doubles Mixed Doubles (including Plate) Veterans Mixed Doubles (including Plate) A designated member club hosts these finals on the third Sunday in September. Due to the large number of events, this tends to be one of our larger clubs.

Winter Tournaments

Similarly to the the summer, members of all our affiliated clubs can play in winter knock out tournaments. These consist of the following competitions: Men’s Doubles (including Plate) Ladies Doubles (including Plate) Mixed Doubles (including Plate) The finals are held at a volunteering member club on the third Sunday in April. In order to allow some of our smaller clubs to host finals, the winter tournaments have fewer competitions.

Summer Cups

These are club knock out tournaments for the seventeen clubs within our Association. They consist of the following: Ladies Jubilee Bowl Mens Jubilee Cup Mixed Jubilee Shield These are played by two pairs in each team, to the best of three tie break sets. The matches are played on the clubs specified day, in the week designated by the Cup Secretary. The clubs with first Division teams do not come into play until later rounds. This gives the lower division clubs a few rounds to play each other before coming up against top division players.

Winter Cups

Like the summer, we also offer cups in the winter. These are: Ladies Winter Cup Mens Winter Cup Mixed Winter Cup These are played by two pairs in each team, to the best of three tie break sets. The matches are played on the clubs specified day, in the week designated by the Cup Secretary. The clubs with first Division teams do not come into play until later rounds. This gives the lower division clubs a few rounds to play each other before coming up against top division players. We also now have a group B tournament to give even more competitive tennis.

About us

The Leigh & Westcliff is reported to be the largest tennis association in the U.K. We have leagues, cups (for clubs) and tournaments (for players).  We have over 1,600 registered players within our 16 affiliated clubs. This number grows year on year.

The rules of the association have been built very comprehensively over the years, they are strictly adhered to by the our competition secretaries, with the backing from the elected committee of eleven, all members of the clubs involved.

Tennis membership is available from all of our affiliated clubs with varied membership costs, to suit all pockets.

History

The year was 1949 and the need to have a tennis association for small clubs was recognised in the South East of Essex.

Originally this was to give one or two court clubs, and all standards of players, competitive tennis. Representatives from eight local clubs decided to form a league ready for the 1950 summer season. St.Peters Church was the meeting venue and the initial clubs involved were:-

St.Peters LTC, Kent Elms TC, Leigh Road Baptist TC, Brookside, Clifftown, Leigh Wesley, Oakleigh, St.Mary’s and St. Margaret’s

The six clubs shown in Italic lettering are sadly no longer in existence.

In the beginning it was decided that member clubs should compete in a league competition, playing each other once. This original league, and still called ‘The League’, consisted of a men’s, ladies and mixed pairing, now playing home and away. This format continued until Summer 2022. From Summer 2023, we will be using a standard mixed format for our mixed league. 

We have during the years since 1950 been joined by:

The David Lloyd Centre Southend, The David Lloyd Centre Basildon, Deanes Sports Centre, Hadleigh Park LTC, Hockley LTC, Invicta TC, Rayleigh LTC, Southend Lawn TC, Thorpe Bay LTC, Westcliff Hardcourt LTC, Westcliff Lawn TC and Wickford LTC

A number of other clubs have been involved through the many years:

Leigh, Access, A.W.R.E (renamed Civil Service), Cavendish, Civil Service, Conifers, Erycinus (renamed C.E.Heath), N.A.L.G.O., Old Southendians, Rochford TC, St.Aidans, St.Saviours, Southbourne, Southend Hospital and Westcliff Congregational

This history of the L.&.W. was updated and and put on line in February 2011. Following the summer success of ‘THE LEAGUE’, Gentlemen’s leagues were set up in 1970, followed fifteen years later by the Ladies in 1985. Winter League tennis was introduced for the 1986/87 season; this started with eight divisions. Summer club knockout competitions commenced in May 1964 and were named the Jubilee Cup for the Men, Jubilee Bowl for the Ladies and in 1988 the Jubilee Shield for the Mixed.

We have 16 affiliated clubs within our ranks, and would always welcome new organisations in our area with tennis facilities. 

Our committee

Affiliated clubs

Crowstone and St Saviours LTC

Three Hard Courts

Victory Path, Chalkwell Ave, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 8NN

http://www.crowstoneltc.co.uk/

David Lloyd Health Club Southend

FIve outdoor Astro Turf Courts, Three indoor acrylic courts, Two indoor carpet courts

Snakes Lane, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6XT

Deanes LTC

Three Acrylic Courts

Daws Heath Rd, Benfleet, SS7 2TD

Hadleigh Park LTC

Three Astroturf Courts

End of Elm Road, Hadleigh, Benfleet, SS7 2AH

http://www.hadleighparkltc.co.uk

Hockley LTC

Three Astroturf Courts

Folly Lane, Hockley, SS5 4SE

http://www.hockleyltc.co.uk/

Invicta Tennis Club

Three Hard Courts

Crosby Rd, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 8LG

http://www.invictatc.blogspot.co.uk/

Leigh Road Baptist Church LTC

Three Hard Courts

Victory Path, Crosby Rd, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 8LG

Rayleigh LTC

Five Astroturf Courts

Watchfield Ln, Rayleigh, SS6 7SG

http://www.rayleighlawn.co.uk

Southend LTC

Five Astroturf Courts

Broadclyst Gardens, Thorpe Bay, SS1 3QP

http://www.southendlawntennisclub.com/

Thorpe Bay LTC

Fourteen Astroturf courts and two hard courts

Thorpe Bay Gardens, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3HL

http://www.tbltc.co.uk/

Westcliff Hard

Four Astroturf and Three Acrylic Courts

8 The Ridgeway, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 8NT

http://www.westcliffhard.com

Westcliff Lawn

Six Astroturf, Three Artificial Clay

626 London Rd, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 9HW

http://www.westclifflawntennis.co.uk

Wickford LTC

Three Tiger Turf Courts

Swan Lane, Wickford, SS11 7DD

http://www.wickfordltc.org/

See all our clubs