A THRIVING Basingstoke tennis centre has suffered at least £20,000 worth of damage - but the management face hurdles in their bid to make it more vandal-proof.

Totally Tennis, which runs the facility at the War Memorial Park on behalf of Basingstoke council, wants to build a £400,000 reception and entrance area to improve security.

But the organisation's plans have suffered a blow after the council said it may have to wait several years for vital cash help from the borough.

Tennis director Nigel Long said: "We are prepared to put funding into this but the council are saying they have no money. It's not a suitable time to wait.

"We need continued support from the council to make sure it's a great facility.

"They've put the centre in the middle of nowhere and no-one checks what goes on."

Nigel said the new entrance would make the centre - which has four indoor and four outdoor courts - become one site rather than operating on a split site, preventing staff from seeing the whole of the centre.

He said: "Most of the damage has happened in an area you can't see."

In the past, vandals have thrown rocks at the centre, sprayed graffiti and broken into the facility, damaging a few items.

Most of the £20,000 damage was caused at the end of last year when bricks were thrown onto the roof of the indoor tennis courts.

The Lawn Tennis Association, which put most of the money into building the centre, is prepared to put 50 per cent towards the costs of the reception.

But the council says the only money avail-able for the proposal is through capital funding which works on a three-year cycle.

Councillor John Shaw, Cabinet member for recreation and culture, said the council was addressing the vandalism problem by erecting bollards to prevent cars being driven across the field to the park.

Lighting is also being installed to deter youths from vandalising the tennis courts and planting is being put in to keep people further away from the facility.

Cllr Shaw said: "We are also improving the lock on the tennis court entrance to stop unauthorised users going in.

"Each year we look at a capital programme for the third year of the coming cycle.

"We have spent quite a considerable sum on the existing building."

He added: "We have to weigh up spending more on the facility compared with other possible things the capital money could go on."