Blair soothes woes with £40K tennis treat


Tony Blair has bought himself an early Christmas present – a £40,000 all-weather tennis court.

The former premier has had a brand new green tone asphalt court put down in the garden of his £5.75 million Buckinghamshire estate.

A source close to Mr Blair – who is earning an estimated £12 million a year thanks to the lucrative foreign lecture circuit and various advisory jobs – decided to splash out after speaking to fellow tennis fanatic Sir Cliff Richard.

A source said: ‘Sir Cliff had a court built in his own back garden years ago and has never regretted it.

‘Like Tony he loves the game and it is great for socialising, as well as keeping in shape.

‘Tony works hard and I suppose it is fair to say that this is a little treat for him.’

Tony and Cherie Blair even turned to the same company used by Sir Cliff – Essex-based Doe Sports.

The same company has built tennis court for Tim Henman and his parents, as well as the All England tennis club.

The couple had the court installed last month without applying to their local council because the previous owner had already been granted planning approval for an outside tennis court.

Now they have submitted an application to have a sports pavilion built alongside it – along with a fence to surround the court.

Simon Templeton, the Blair’s architect, told Aylesbury Vale District Council: ‘We have recently completed constructing a tennis court at The South Pavilion (the Blair’s house near Aylesbury).

‘The aforementioned application was submitted on behalf of the previous owner, and although we understand that permission was granted for the tennis court, no details of the tennis court fence were submitted with that application.

‘We have also submitted details of a proposed ‘Sports Pavilion’ that would be located immediately North to the tennis court, and a play area for the children.’

Because South Pavilion , once owned by the late actor Sir John Gielgud, is a listed estate the Blair’s have to seek special planning permission for the fence.

The pavilion, according to the plans, will contain a changing area, shower rooms, a cold drinks counter, and a storage area.

The fence around the court will be a maximum height of 2.75 metres and invisible from the outside because of a yew tree hedge, according to the plans.

The Tony Blair Sports Foundation – one of four charities the former premier is involved in – has an annual tennis challenge in his name. This is, however, unlikely to take place in his back garden.

The source said: ‘This court is very much intended as a private area where Tony can play a few matches against his close friends.

‘Everybody has to have their down time and this is Tony’s.’

The Blair’s bought the seven-bedroom listed 18th century mansion in Wotton Underwood two years ago.

Mrs Blair – who used to shop on Ebay when her husband was in Downing Street - has since spent more than £250,000 filling it with antiques from Sotheby’s and Christie’s