A tennis school focused on developing young and Olympic standard players in Rushmoor could be under threat of closure.

Fears Aldershot Tennis Centre could shut have been growing after it was announced that Aspire Defence — which maintains the Army’s sporting facilities — would be carrying out its administration and management.

Aspire took over these functions from Clive Asprey Tennis Academy Limited (CATA) on October 1.

CATA members have since been allowed their usual access to the centre’s four indoor courts. But they now have to book through Aspire to use the 14 floodlit outdoor courts at the Princes Avenue facility — a system CATA members say they have already had problems with.

Players using outdoor courts are no longer able to use the indoor facilities including toilets, changing rooms, refreshments and first aid, as they are managed by CATA.

There is now concern the lack of flexibility and access to facilities could lead to a downturn in profit, forcing the academy to close.

The change has shocked users of the centre who, along with the rest of the garrison town, were excited by the potential brought about when Aldershot was named the official training ground of Team GB for the 2012 Olympics.

The multi-million pound investment to accommodate the 750 athletes set to descend on the town four years from now was seen as a great opportunity for young sporting talent across the borough

It meshed well with the academy’s special programme dedicated to finding and developing future national players from local schools.

The Army base’s sporting facilities are already used for the Hampshire Youth Games and support the Hampshire Talented Athlete Scheme — a programme which seeks to develop the county’s most talented athletes to their full potential.

As well as inconveniencing current members who would need to relocate to other clubs, it could also spell the end of several CATA-hosted adult and junior tournaments held throughout the year, including the Hampshire Open.

Tracy Squirrel, whose six-year-old son has plays at the centre, has launched a petition opposing the move. At the time the News went to press she had collected 66 signatures.

The petition urges Aspire and any other body involved in the switch to reconsider the decision and establish a working partnership to hand administration of the centre, including the outdoor courts, back to CATA.

Mrs Squirrel said: “Having just four indoor courts is going to make it pretty much untenable for CATA to continue to run a business.

“All of it is bad news for the people that work there, the members and the parents of children who play there.

“There is criticism that we don’t invest in our young people and talk of Aspire partnering the community to do so, but this completely undermines their own PR and the development of young sports people in this country.”

Summer camps for children of all abilities aged three to 15 run by CATA could also stop under the new system.

The academy has served as the training ground for Peter Norfolk, the number one quad tennis player in the world who won a gold medal at the 2008 Paralympics.

Catherine O’Connor, Hamp-shire’s under-18 number one player, is also coached by Gary Stanford at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) accredited centre.

Mrs Squirrel continued: “Some people who have commented on the petition are talking about other facilities for children being closed down. There are a lot of very confused and sad people who don’t really know what’s going.”

A CATA coach, who did not wish to be named, told the News one coach who had worked at the centre for five years handed in his notice after hearing about the changes.

He said: “He left because he was not sure what was happening. Nobody knows what’s happening.”

A spokesman from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) confirmed talks between Hampshire LTA the Army and Ministry of Defence were under way to decide how the centre will be managed.

He said: “There is not really a threat before a solution is reached and we are currently working to come to one. A tennis facility will be there in the future. We don’t know whether services provided by CATA will remain there.”

An Army spokeman added: “It would not be appropriate to comment on the business or activities of CATA.

“The outdoor courts will still be available for booking by non-service users, including for use by professional coaches and for tournaments.

“The MoD supports ALTA and Aspire’s efforts to establish a more formal arrangement covering the operation of all tennis facilities at the Aldershot Tennis Centre.”