SOUTHEND Lawn Tennis Club have secured their future at their Broadclyst Gardens base.

After more than a year of negotiation and legal issues, the freehold of the tennis club has now been acquired from a London property company.

Club chairman Alan Worsdale was delighted to share a toast with members after they had enjoyed a President v Chairman American style tournament.

And Worsdale revealed the club would now be pushing forward to make improvements.

“Now that the club controls the freehold it plans to resurface the courts and replace the floodlights with LED lights,” said Worsdale.

“The future looks bright.”

Nick Stuart - the chairman of the Southend Lawn Freehold Limited - a company owned by members that acquired the freehold was also in attendance during a memorable afternoon for the club.

On the court, the over-subscribed American style tournament was played across all five of the club’s courts.

At the conclusion, winning male William Bambrook was paired with President Lorna Lawrie to play a deciding tie-break against the winning female, Laurel Padbury and Chairman Alan Worsdale.

And it was the President’s team who triumphed, winning 6-2.