David Beckham ‘bulldozes son Romeo’s £30,000 tennis court and turns it into a five-a-side football pitch’ as renovations continue at Cotswolds family home
David Beckham has ‘bulldozed’ son Romeo’s state-of-the-art tennis court and turned it into a five-a-side football pitch.
The former Manchester United and England midfielder and fashion designer wife Victoria originally built the outdoor court in the grounds of their sprawling Cotswolds home in 2018, amid claims their middle son wanted to pursue a career as a professional tennis player.
But the all-weather court – built at an estimated cost of £30,000 – has now been converted into a football pitch for David and his three sons to use whenever they visit their £6million country bolthole, The Sun reports.
All change: David Beckham has ‘bulldozed’ son Romeo’s state-of-the-art tennis court and turned it into a five-a-side football pitch
It’s understood that builders have been renovating the property – used by the family for a four month period during Britain’s coronavirus lockdown – since June, with the football pitch completed in July.
David has since posted a video of himself and Romeo enjoying a kickabout on the newly installed pitch with the accompanying caption: ‘Practice makes perfect. Like father like son.’
David, 45, is also said to be keen on raising the ground level in order to prevent fans and tourists getting a look inside the grounds of their family home.
Not bad: The former Manchester United and England midfielder and fashion designer wife Victoria originally built the outdoor court in the grounds of their sprawling Cotswolds home in 2018
Change of heart: The all-weather court – built at an estimated cost of £30,000 – has now been converted into a football pitch for David and his three sons to use
Plans for the tennis court were originally submitted in May 2018 by Soho House architect Michael Ergatoudis, who designed the Oxfordshire country pile.
The court was among extensive renovation of the garden, transforming it into a fairy-tale rural retreat- with plans to build a natural swimming pond, orchard and a 60ft croquet lawn.
The rectangular muddy area to the east of the main triple barn had been under construction for more than a year with bulldozers flattening it in preparation, and was originally said to have been created for a five-a-side football pitch covered in all-weather Astro-turf.
Here we go: David has since posted a video of himself and Romeo enjoying a kickabout on the newly installed pitch
A source previously told The Mail On Sunday: ‘The Oxfordshire property has always been David’s pet project, Victoria has shown very little interest and been quite resistant about having it at all in the past.
‘But now she sees it as a great place for Romeo to spend the summer holiday playing tennis. She wants him practising as much as possible and will hire in coaches to train him.
‘David is on board with the plan to make Romeo a star, but it is Victoria who is the driving force.’
But while Romeo initially displayed a keen interest in tennis, his enthusiasm is said to have tapered off over the last year.
A representative declined to comment on the current changes when approached by MailOnline.