Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has closed all council‑managed grass sports pitches in Royal Tunbridge Wells for the weekend of 8–9 February 2026, the council announced on 6 February.
Council staff inspected major sites including Hawkenbury Recreation Ground and St John’s Recreation Ground and found the Wealden clay soil fully saturated. The council said using the pitches in their current condition would be unsafe for players and could cause long‑term turf damage, potentially affecting the pitches for the remainder of the spring season.
The Met Office regional forecasts show recent and continuing showers across South East England, which makes the borough’s clay soils slow to dry and increases the risk of waterlogged, unsafe surfaces.
The closure affects around 2,000 local players across youth football, amateur rugby and community leagues. Local clubs are scrambling to secure private 3G/4G all‑weather facilities or postpone fixtures while council grass pitches remain unusable.
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has asked clubs and pitch hirers to follow its official channels for updates and to contact the parks team for information on bookings and cancellations.
