2024 AGM
The AGM will be on Thursday 14 March at 19.30 at Southend Lawn Tennis Club. Click here for directions. The agenda and papers have been sent to all match secretaries. Remember, this is your opportunity to vote on proposed rule changes. There are two votes allowed per affiliated club. However, anyone is welcome to attend the AGM. Thanks Finally, the committee would like to express their thanks to Southend Lawn for once again hosting the AGM. We look forward to seeing you there.
Lloyd Burton
We are deeply saddened to say that Lloyd passed away Monday evening around 20:20 with his family by his side, he couldn’t survive the damage that had been done this time from surgery. Lloyd is at peace now hopefully playing tennis wherever he may be. He will stay in our hearts for ever 💔💔💔. Please click here to pay your own tribute to Lloyd. From Hadleigh Park Lloyd was not just a coach; he was a beacon of inspiration and guidance to many of us at the club. His passion for tennis and unwavering dedication to nurturing talent enriched the […]
Summer Mens league final standings 2023
The Summer Mens league final standings are now complete. Division 1 Deanes took the title in their first season in the top division. They found it tougher than the Winter, losing 3 matches. Kris Stafford and Jack Vile from Deanes both had 100% records. Kris takes top spot in the standings as he played one more match than Jack. Division 2 Hockley were convincing winners of the division, only losing one match to Thorpe Bay in week 9. Second place was a very close affair with Rayleigh finishing 2.5 points ahead of Hadleigh Park. Kent Elms found it very tough […]
Summer Mixed league final standings 2023
The Summer Mixed league final standings are complete. Division 1 Rayleigh stormed to the title this summer, only losing one match all season. The top three positions were the same as in the winter league. Hockley found it tough going in the division. Both Emily Watts and Stuart Biggie from Rayleigh won all nine of the matches they played. Emily edged Stuart to top position by losing one less set. Division 2 Westcliff Lawn got their revenge on Southend Lawn from the winter as the top two positions were reversed here. Joanne Redding from Southend Lawn played all ten matches, […]
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
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
Thorpe Bay LTC
Fourteen Astroturf courts and two hard courts
Thorpe Bay Gardens, Southend-on-Sea SS1 3HL