Atlantic Racquet Centre to host free Family Open Day

Atlantic Racquet Centre (ARC) in Bideford, Devon will host a Family Open Day on Saturday, July 12 from 1pm to 5pm at their venue in Caddsdown Industrial Estate, located near Affinity Devon (formerly Atlantic Village) and Bideford town centre.

The event takes place as the Wimbledon Championships come to a close, and is completely free to attend, promising guaranteed fun for families whatever the weather.

ARC’s annual Family Open Day has been a big hit since it began in 2023, with more than 200 visitors coming to last year’s event and enjoying a full programme of free activities, as well as use of ARC’s facilities.

Since last year’s event, ARC has continued to grow, welcoming more than 6,000 people through its doors every week, with visits from MP Geoffrey Cox and legendary tennis coach Judy Murray, who described ARC as ‘the best community multi-sports centre I have visited in 35 years of coaching’.

Visitors in 2025 will be invited to try out all the sports and activities ARC has to offer, including Tennis, Badminton, Squash, Racketball, Table Tennis, and Pickleball, across indoor and outdoor courts, as well as fitness classes in ARC’s fully equipped Gym & Fitness Centre.

There will be skills workshops and tasters with ARC’s team of expert coaches throughout the day, with BBQ and drinks on offer all afternoon. Entry to ARC and all equipment is provided completely free of charge.

For anyone who signs up for an ARC membership on the day (starting from only £10 for a family of four), ARC is offering one month of membership completely free of charge. All ARC memberships are without a long-term commitment and members can cancel at any time.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see progress on ARC’s community hub project that the centre is actively fundraising to complete. This new part of ARC will provide the local community with a much-needed social space with a cafe & bar and multi-use hall, where everyone will be able to work, play and develop skills.

As a charity, ARC relies on donations to aid the maintenance and continued development of its high quality and affordable facilities.

ARC’s Family Open Day takes place as part of a packed summer programme of events and special offers at ARC that includes:

Community events celebrating equality, diversity & inclusion Social events such as quiz nights, beach rounders, BBQs & more Multi-sport activity camps for children during school holidays Free-to-attend health & wellbeing talks & workshops Open racquet & fitness competitions welcoming competitors from across the South West and beyond.

Tom Vinall, ARC General Manager, said: “Events like our Family Open Day are always an exciting highlight in our busy calendar. It’s a chance for us to throw open our doors and showcase what ARC is all about.

“We pride ourselves on being an accessible and inclusive place where everyone feels welcome, and our Family Open Day is the perfect opportunity for people from the local community and further afield to experience what ARC has to offer. We can’t wait to see everyone there!”