On Saturday 15th June ARC was proud to host our annual LGBTQIA+ Make A Racket Festival, welcoming LGBTQIA+ people and allies from across Devon who joined us for a fabulous afternoon of sporting activities. We were delighted to welcome Bideford’s Mayor Rachel Clarke for the event, the UK’s second ever transgender mayor.

This summer we’re encouraging our members and local community to get active by offering an incredible 50% off all indoor tennis court bookings until 26th July!

From Monday 17th June until Friday 14th July, we’re offering all new visitors to Atlantic Racquet Centre ONE HOUR of tennis completely FREE of charge!

The ARC Tennis Summer Open for Adults and Juniors took place from 25th May to 2nd June and delivered some fantastic tennis. The weather wasn’t quite what we would hope for - we experienced all four seasons during the week - but conditions were great for the final weekend.

Join us at Atlantic Racquet Centre on Saturday 6th July for our FREE FAMILY OPEN DAY! No booking required, simply come along and enjoy guaranteed fun whatever the weather! We’ll be running free taster sessions for all ages across our facilities including gym & fitness, tennis, badminton, squash, and table tennis. There’ll be so much to do with something for everyone, with a BBQ and drinks on offer all afternoon. Plus we’ll be streaming Wimbledon LIVE on our big screen!

As part of ARC’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Month, we’ll once again be presenting our LGBTQIA+ Make A Racket Festival to celebrate Pride Month, and welcome LGBTQIA+ people and allies from across Devon to join us for a fabulous afternoon of activities at ARC.

Throughout June, ARC will be celebrating Equality, Diversity and Inclusion with a range of exciting events that aim to ensure that everyone feels able to enjoy sports and fitness in a fun, safe, supportive, and welcoming environment. 

The Bideford & District Community Archive has published a feature article detailing the history of Westward Ho! Tennis Club, the club from which Atlantic Racquet Centre was born. Tracing the club’s history back to its formation in 1946, the article highlights how much ARC has developed as an organisation, whilst also demonstrating how WHTC’s rich history informed many of the key values that ARC promotes today, such as our strong commitment to volunteering, our passion for supporting children to engage with sport, and the importance of community.

On Bank Holiday Monday 6th May, ARC welcomed more than 100 members to celebrate Member Appreciation Day - our annual celebration to thank all of our members for their ongoing support of ARC.

From 13th-19th May the NHS and multiple charitable & health organisations are encouraging people across the UK to 'move more for their mental health' as part of Mental Health Awareness Week. Throughout May, we’ve organised a series of free indoor and outdoor activities hosted by members of the ARC Team, all aimed at promoting physical and mental health and wellbeing.

The annual ARC Tennis Summer Open returns this May, taking place from Saturday 25th May to Sunday 2nd June! This is our biggest event of the year and is open to everyone, with events for all ages from under 8s to vets.

Coming up on Monday 6th May 2024, it’s Member Appreciation Day at ARC! This is a completely free event for all racquet and gym members and their families to thank you for your ongoing support of ARC.

Ever dreamt of playing at Wimbledon? Now is your chance! This year the LTA are again expanding the usual Play Your Way to Wimbledon competition for Juniors into an exciting opportunity for Adults! Here at ARC we are running a Mens’ and Ladies Doubles event on Saturday 20th April, starting at 12pm. Winners will proceed to Area Finals, and then on to the National Finals on the famous grass courts at Wimbledon!

We’re thrilled to announce that David Follett, Para-Badminton Player for England, will be coming to ARC for a special one-off event on Saturday 23rd March at 7pm. ‘Tragedy to Triumph’ is David’s personal and inspirational story, overcoming a terrible road traffic accident that left him paralysed from the chest down to represent England in multiple world championships.

On Sunday 18th February ARC Fitness hosted event 5 of the Driathlon UK Tour. The Driathlon is a tough 60min challenge, where participants work for 20mins on each of our three Concept 2 machines to complete as many calories burned as possible. There are Driathlon events happening all over the country, with the top participants qualifying for a grand final event at the Birmingham NEC.

ARC is delighted to announce the arrival of two brand new badminton courts at the centre, as well as increased availability for court bookings, and more opportunities to get involved with badminton socials and club play.

At the annual Devon Tennis County Awards hosted on Wednesday 24th January, ARC team members Hannah Miller and Ella Wilson were recognised for their hard work, dedication, and outstanding contribution to tennis in Devon.