EVICTION day has arrived for Woodbridge Tennis Club after no agreement was reached for the payment of the £4,500 annual rent.The 270-member tennis club has been in dispute with Woodbridge town council about the rent and maintenance costs of the pavilion on Kingston playing fields for two years.

EVICTION day has arrived for Woodbridge Tennis Club after no agreement was reached for the payment of the £4,500 annual rent.

The 270-member tennis club has been in dispute with Woodbridge town council about the rent and maintenance costs of the pavilion on Kingston playing fields for two years.

No agreement could be reached overnight and the town council was today changing the locks on the nine-year-old pavilion.

Eileen Schlee, chairwoman of the tennis club, said the reality of being evicted was more "stressful and exhausting" than emotional.

"We've got to keep working for fair rent and we're working too hard for our members to get emotional," she said.

The club and the town council reached deadlock after the club said it was only prepared to pay £2,000 rent plus up to £3,000 maintenance costs for the pavilion.

But the town council wants a £4,500 rent, which was the maximum amount put forward by a district valuer, and the club would be responsible for all other costs.

Chris Walker, council clerk, said: "It's sad that negotiations have broken down. The council wanted the club to have stability and said it would be £4,500 and there would be no increase for four years."

Ms Schlee, who today handed in a letter to the council outlining their objection to rent figure, added club members had not agreed to be bound by the district valuer's figure.

"We're dismayed at the way the situation has been handled and it's a real shock to the club's committee and to the members who hear they will not have a clubhouse from Thursday,'' she said.

The club has used the playing fields since 1924 and will continue to play on the district council-owned courts.