The Grange Club
For almost two centuries, The Grange Club has been the home of cricket, tennis, hockey and squash in the heart of Edinburgh. Founded in 1832, the club predates the invention of tennis by more than fifty years; a reminder of how deeply its identity is woven into the city’s sporting life.
With ten courts across three surfaces and a long-established pathway from community participation to performance tennis, The Grange is one of Scotland’s most iconic and celebrated sports clubs.
Keen to extend that legacy into the winter months and deliver a more consistent coaching programme, Rick Symington, Chair of The Grange Club, commissioned Covair to design and install a bespoke two-court Permanent Air Dome.
Background
Rick is clear about why the club chose Covair: “Fundamentally, we aimed to enable our members to play tennis indoors. We wanted the most affordable structure to achieve that, so we chose an air dome rather than a more traditional build.”
“We now run around 80% of our winter programme indoors,” he comments. “That’s a massive change, and it’s felt at every level of the club. Previously, our coaches had to run smaller programmes. They’d have great plans for player development, but the weather would get in the way. People would cancel last-minute even in light rain, usually because they were worried about slipping and falling.”
Challenge
“That’s why I think a dome is crucial,” Head Coach Calum Meston adds. “From a business perspective, you’re increasing participation, revenue and reliability. It lets you move forward and develop ideas with confidence. There has been a 75% increase in participation in our coaching programmes since the dome was installed. So we’ve expanded it and brought on more coaches.”
“But,” he adds, “you must have a growth mindset. You’ve got to want to make a go of it. If you have that, then a dome opens up a world of possibilities.”
Solution
Conceived as an environment for performance tennis, The Grange received LTA funding for the dome and designed it to meet LTA specifications. This included generous run-backs, a ten-metre apex, and perimeter-mounted lighting positioned above those run-backs rather than over the courts. It was also adapted to include a bespoke green exterior and a fully opaque membrane that prevents glare.
Calum and his team of coaches appreciated that quality from the first time he stepped inside the dome: “I remember being taken aback by how big it felt. From the outside, you don’t expect that height or the space. Our outdoor courts have about two and a half metres behind the baseline. So, suddenly, you’ve got an extra three or four metres on top of that. It makes the whole space feel huge.”
“It has a TARDIS-like quality,” Rick adds.
“It’s ushered in a new era of year-round indoor play for members,” Rick notes. “I actually tracked dome use against rainfall, and there’s a direct correlation. So, it’s doing exactly what we wanted; giving members more options and letting them continue to play regardless of outdoor conditions.”
That consistency also supports The Grange’s performance pathway. “We’ve got juniors wanting to play in ITF, LTA and National Academy environments,” Calum explains. “You need an indoor acrylic court for that. It’s what they train on across the UK and Europe. Now they can prepare properly here.”
The dome’s effect has also been observed further afield. “Since its installation, Tennis Scotland has expressed interest in running junior performance camps. That’s an endorsement of its design and quality,” Rick explains.
Results
Consistent coaching and faster player development
Calum immediately noticed the difference, noting that the dome transformed the rhythm and quality of coaching. “Player development has been a lot faster since the dome was installed,” Calum explains. “They’re getting more repetition, reading the ball earlier and learning more consistently. That’s exactly what you want during the winter technical phase. It means that in spring, we can deep dive into technique and lock in muscle memory.”
“Personally, I’ll always choose to play on the indoor courts. You can actually hear the moment your racket connects with the ball. It’s louder. Rewarding. It really helps from a coaching perspective, too.”
Community connections
Rick acknowledges that the dome also enables the club to build community engagement, local programmes and school initiatives. “It’s so rewarding to see that side of the club develop as well.”
“The dome has deepened our connection to the local community,” he explains. In the last 12 months, more than 200 schoolchildren participated in tennis sessions, bringing the total number of community engagements to around 500, a significant increase from previous years.
Calum adds: “We can promise local schools indoor facilities for around 120 kids at a time and know they won’t miss their session. It means they get to stay active at least once a week. That’s so important for physical and mental health and wellbeing.”
Versatility has been an unexpected bonus as well. Junior cricket sessions, girls’ cricket, pickleball, and junior movement classes have all been held inside the dome. “At the end of the day, it’s a large rectangular covered space,” Rick notes. “You can use it for whatever you want.”
Weather resilience
Rick was confident that an air dome was the ideal solution, even for a part of the UK where the weather can be particularly harsh and unpredictable. Just weeks after installation, he was proven correct: “Scotland was hit by its first red-warning storm in over a decade. Paddle canopies and neighbouring structures struggled, but the dome stood firm,” he remembers.
Rick had expected that performance, but it still came as a great relief: “The dome’s curved profile let high winds travel up and over the structure, reducing surface pressure. Its constant internal air pressure also helped it hold shape during those severe gusts. This allowed the storm to pass around it rather than pushing against it.”
Summing Up
The dome has reshaped The Grange’s winter rhythm, strengthened its coaching pathway, expanded its community reach and enabled consistent year-round tennis. It blends contemporary architectural planning, modern materials and official LTA specifications to create a year-round tennis facility within a traditional residential area. It’s a fitting combination of old and new that reflects The Grange’s heritage and its forward-thinking philosophy.
