Although called Manchester Tennis and Racquet Club this grade II listed building is actually across the Irwell in Salford but also just a short walk from the centre of Manchester. Although the name of the club is above the grand arched entrance you could easily miss this historic building, the exterior of which is packed with faded grandeur. The red-brick building apparently retains many of its Victorian features inside and is an interesting historical sporting venue.
At this unique venue members can play real tennis, a game that goes back as far as the 1400’s as well as squash. You can also play the fast game of rackets which was first developed in prisons and later alleyways, played against one or more walls. Rackets is played with wooden rackets and a small hard ball as either singles or doubles. The indoor rackets court at Manchester Tennis and Racquet Club has been in continuous use since 1882.
Opening on this site on Blackfriars Road in 1882, the club started life nearby a few years before. At that time it had one rackets court and a tennis court, a squash court was added later in the 20th century.
It would be interesting to take a peak inside this building sometime.
Back on the road again 