Business still shut despite sport’s return
THE owner of North Geelong’s Centre Court Indoor Tennis believes he is being discriminated against as his doors remain closed despite local tennis restarting after its coronavirus break.
All outdoor tennis clubs are now able to open up their courts to hold lessons and social games after Tennis Victoria released its guidelines on returning to play last week.
But Centre Court is entirely indoors and the State Government is yet to clear indoor sport for play.
For 26 years David Hicks has owned the business, which contains seven courts and 4000sq m of floor space.
He said it didn’t make sense that tennis players could return to courts outside but not at his business, which comfortably contains enough space for social distancing.
“It’s a massive area both in size and in height. I can’t fathom why it is more of a risk to be in here and have, say, two on a court,” Mr Hicks said.
“That’s 14 people and you can go to a supermarket or Bunnings where you have hundreds in the building.
“We’ve got people wanting to get coached and people wanting to hire courts and clients ready to go and exercise as the Government is promoting but we are completely hamstrung. I accept that if tennis was closed that would be it, but it’s not closed. For us it is and I think that’s a bit of discrimination.”
All indoor recreation facilities are off limits according to the State Government to stop the spread of COVID-19.
That includes smaller spaces like gyms and yoga studios, as well as larger ones like basketball stadiums.
The last forehand hit at Centre Court was on March 23 and Hicks said the business had had no income since. He has received support from his landlord to ease the pressure.
“All we want to do is continue our business and provide a service to people ... and the Government says we can’t,” he said.