Virgin Active Northwood
In September 2015, Virgin Active Northwood became a home to tennis excellence. When Davis Cup star Jamie Murray, alongside former players Jeremy Bates, Jo Durie, and coach David Felgate, cut the ribbon on the club’s new Covair Tennis Bubble, it marked a transformation not just for the facility, but for the future of junior tennis development in the UK.
Covair’s Permanent Air Dome now covers three outdoor tennis courts, creating a year-round training centre for top-level players. In addition to the dome, Virgin Active Northwood joined the world-class facilities of Wimbledon, The Queen’s Club, and Stoke Park as one of only four Tennis Centres in the country to have the revolutionary PlaySight SmartCourt technology installed.
Background
Virgin Active wished to cover three outdoor tennis courts at their Northwood club to create a dedicated training centre for their top-level players. The intention was to train away from the busy indoor courts, which were used to capacity by club members.
The facility also needed to support the Junior Tennis Coaching (JTC) Academy, which had called Virgin Active Northwood home for three years. Led by former world number 5 player Jo Durie, David Felgate, and Alan Jones, JTC sought to prepare students to achieve their highest possible level in tennis through intensive group training. Without reliable year-round court access, that ambition was being held back by the British weather.
Solution
Covair designed and installed a bespoke double skin dome covering three courts. The project, part-funded by the LTA, took three years from conception to completion, allowing for the complex bespoke design, planning application, and fund organisation required for a facility of this calibre.
The result exceeded all expectations. For the coaching team who had worked in domes around the world, this was something special.
Results
Year-round court access
The dome makes year-round court access a reality for Virgin Active’s tennis players and JTC’s up-and-coming stars. Where once the British winter meant cancelled sessions and disrupted training programmes, players can now train consistently throughout the year on the same surface they’ll compete on.
Elite-level facilities
With the installation of PlaySight SmartCourt technology alongside the Covair dome, Virgin Active Northwood now stands alongside Wimbledon, The Queen’s Club, and Stoke Park as one of only four venues in the UK with this revolutionary training tool.
A boost for British tennis
“The fact it takes the weather out of the game means kids can get out there and play all hours of the day which is a great thing. It’s probably something we need more of up and down the country.”
— Jamie Murray, Davis Cup Champion
Summing Up
The Virgin Active Northwood project demonstrates what’s possible when world-class ambition meets practical solutions. By combining Covair’s double skin dome technology with cutting-edge training systems, the facility has created an environment where the next generation of British tennis talent can develop without weather-related interruptions.
Tim Henman’s former coach, the coaches who have trained players around the world, and Davis Cup champions all agree: this is a facility that sets the standard for tennis development in the UK. Three years of planning delivered a dome that will serve young players for decades to come.
