Tennis fans are left in dark by unpaid £7,000 electricity bill

Tennis fans who were thrilled with new £250,000 courts say they have been left unable to play on them in the evenings — because the council has not paid an electricity bill.

The "long-running, bureaucratic farce" means the Clapham Common courts, which opened in June, are not floodlit and players have to abandon games at 7pm because it is too dark.

It is understood a £7,000 bill is owed by Lambeth council's schools section, and until it is settled supplier Southern Electric will not provide power for the floodlighting. Local people have written to Lambeth urging it to resolve the issue. One said: "Why bother to give people renewed, high quality courts, when people are unable to use them?"

A spokesman for the Lawn Tennis Association said: "We have invested nearly £100,000 in the facility, and floodlights are a key part of that."

Lambeth said it was working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Southern Electric refused to comment on customer accounts.