One of our kit-form ‘Maccano’ ping pong tables has recently been installed at the Bearpit in Bristol.

A team from the Bearpit Improvement Group assembled the table themselves and it is now up and running. The Group are working to improve the sunken roundabout at St James Barton in the city centre and the installation of the permanent, weatherproof table tennis table is just one of their initiatives.

Bats and balls can be hired from nearby shops so if you are passing by please stop and play!

According to the article, Phil Smith, director of sport at Sport England said that the number of people playing ping pong at least once a week has almost doubled since 2008, with the strongest growth found in the southeast and the Midlands where public tables have been in use. The provision of public tables has also boosted community spirit. “Of the 6,000 bats we’ve provided so far, fewer than 100 have gone missing,” said Colette Hiller who runs Ping!, a scheme to provide tables for public use, which has led to more than 150,000 people using the public tables.

The article also said that due to the sport’s growing popularity “… outdoor ping pong tables are springing up across Britain to encourage couch potatoes to get active. Now hundreds of tables are to be erected at famous places, from the Mersey to the New Forest, in time for the London Games. The public will be tempted to pick up a bat at locations as diverse as Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham, Bristol zoo and Winchester Cathedral.”

Outdoor table tennis tables need to be to pretty tough to withstand the extremes of the UK climate, as well as all the rigours of constant use and with this in mind, Mant Leisure offers four styles of concrete ping pong tables suitable for permanent outdoor installation. They are suitable to be situated in a public open space, making them a good choice for schools, universities, parks etc. Click here for more information about our tables.

Now community groups and schools are keen to get in on the action and Mant Leisure has been inundated by requests from people who are keen to order our tables, but who would like to know where they can get funding from to help with the cost. The good news is that non-profit organisations can now also bid to set up tables in their own area by applying to a £250,000 fund run by Sport England.

Organisations that wish to apply for funding to set up their own tables must register their interest by April 23 at etta.co.uk/news/ping-package.

So register your interest now and contact us on 01225 830083 or via our contact form for a quote for our tables.

The parks, the creators said, would encourage fans into more physical activity.

“Rovio wanted to invite people who play the game to not only sit inside on the sofa, but to go out, move themselves and have fun,” Lappset’s marketing director Johan Granholm told the BBC.

“You have large screens where you can play the games in the park. There’s a tunnel that you have to run though at a certain speed – if you don’t get there in time you get sprayed with water.”

However, Mr Granholm reassured parents: “We don’t shoot anything in the park, that’s important to say!”

If you require more information on this exciting and innovative equipment, please contact Mant Leisure on 01225 830083 or email us here.

Click here to watch an animation of how a park will look, courtesy of Lappset.

Reuters video article on why British-made Outdoor Gym Equipment is best for safety and quality

Yes, we are now launching a range of concrete outdoor billiards tables!

Ideal for campsites, youth clubs, sports areas, pub gardens and all outside areas.

The base and legs of the tables are made of solid concrete and they weigh 600kg. The surface is able to withstand the British weather, making them suitable to be left outside all year and they come in a choice of colours.

The balls and cues can be kept at your reception desk, in your club’s building or behind your pub’s bar and can be provided either free of charge or charged for.

They are delivered fully-assembled, ready to be installed onto a pre-prepared site.

See our sports gallery for more photos. Call us on 01225 830083 for a quote and more details.

We are being told by customers that things out there are getting a little confusing when it comes to buying outdoor gyms. Some suppliers are telling you that as outdoor gym equipment is not playground equipment that it doesn’t need to meet any safety standards (amazing, I know but true!!), some are saying that as long as it is not near a children’s playground that it doesn’t need to comply to any safety standard (like that is going to stop kids going on it!!), some are telling you that their equipment meets a TUV test and others are telling you that they have certified the equipment themselves…..to be honest, it is no wonder that as customers you are confused.

The new TGO Britain range is 100% made in the UK and to the highest available industry standards. There has been, however an influx of cheap (often Chinese made) equipment coming onto the market of late that seems like a good deal to the customer but often leaves them (sometimes as little as a few weeks down the line) with broken and unsafe equipment.

That is why TGO have come up with their TOP 10 TIPS when buying outdoor gym equipment.

The main thing that TGO would say is please don’t just take the suppliers word for things, ask to see evidence from them. Have a good look at the equipment that they are trying to sell you. Does it have crush points, does it have exposed rubber stoppers, does it have unrestricted pendulums or entrapment points?

What about the build quality? Cheap doesn’t always mean best. Have a look at previous sites they have put in, how are they standing up? What is the quality of the steel and the welding? Has the equipment been tested? If so, to what level? Can they provide you with details of the quality of the steel used? Ask to see evidence of this.

What about the actual design of the equipment? Many suppliers are simply importing equipment from China with little or no thought about the ergonomics of the equipment. TGO design and manufacture the equipment themselves and employ the services of fitness professionals to help design equipment that actually works.

There are many things to think about when spending hard fought for money on outdoor gym equipment and we feel that if you follow TGO’s top 10 tips, then you should be able to have peace of mind.

10 checkpoints for outdoor gym equipment

The following list is what TGO believe all buyers should be specifying for their outdoor gym equipment. This list will ensure that the equipment is safe for its users, robust, long lasting, environmentally friendly, ethically produced and warranted.

1. Ask to see evidence of independent testing and compliance to EN1176 and EN957 standards
2. Ask to see evidence that the design of equipment is free of crush points, entrapments and shears
3. Ask to see evidence of load testing and detail on loads used
4. Ask to see evidence that equipment was designed in conjunction with fitness Professionals.
5. Ask to see evidence of anti tamper specification and robustness
6. Preference should be given to manufacturing in the UK
7. Ask to see evidence that Manufacturers are Certified to ISO 9001:2008 plus evidence of ethical manufacturing i.e. evidence of no child labour or poor working conditions
8. Ask to see evidence that quality materials are used (for example BSI Kite marked steel, detail on welding)
9. Check that an environmental policy is in place to ensure low carbon footprint and ethical manufacturing
10. Check that the warranties that are given will stand up and be honoured and that they are appropriate for the environment

We hope that as a customer that you will chose TGO for your outdoor gym equipment suppliers and that you look for quality and safety over quantity and the cheapest supplier.

At the very least, however we want you to be happy with your purchases and we want users to be able to be safe and to be able to gain maximum benefit from the equipment that is installed.

If you would like more information about TGO’s equipment, contact us here at Mant Leisure on 01225 830083.

Our tables are all made of concrete and according to a report commissioned by the English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) to assess an outdoor table tennis pilot in London, “Tables made of concrete … are seen as a more durable option than tables made of composite materials. They are not likely to need much if any maintenance and are therefore the preferred table.”

Due to popular demand, our introductory offer on our ‘all-in-one’ square-cornered table has been extended until March 31st 2012 and now also includes our rounded-cornered table too! Call us today on 01225 830083 to see how much you could save.

Discount on Outdoor Table Tennis Tables Still Available on Orders Placed before 31^st December 2011

We have 3 styles of ‘all-in-one’ table: The Amsterdam: a rectangle with square corners, The Rotterdam: a rectangle with rounded corners and The Hague: a completely circular table. Including delivery and installation onto a pre-prepared site, the square-cornered table is £2475.00 per table (excluding VAT), but we are currently running an introductory offer of £1995.00 for square-cornered tables ordered before 31^st December 2011. The rounded-corner table is £2850.00 and for the circular table, £3250.00. Quotations for preparation of the site can also be provided on request.

The 3 tables are made from concrete and are manufactured as one complete unit and are built to withstand all the rigours of constant use or being situated in a public open space and are therefore ideal for use in parks, campsites, schools and any non-supervised areas with good access.

Alternatively, we offer The Maccano, which is also made from concrete, but comes in kit form, making it suitable for sites with difficult access. The cost of this table is £2475.00 per table (excluding VAT) including delivery and installation onto a pre-prepared site, or £1995.00 (excluding VAT) for the supply and delivery of the kit for your own assembly and installation.

In the New Year we will be launching our new range of concrete outdoor pool tables!

Ideal for campsites, pub gardens and all outside areas. Watch our website or call us for more details.

Fitness Equipment Installed

We are pleased to have worked with our associates, Redlynch Leisure to install fitness equipment in both Lambeth and Feltham. Both projects have been very well received. The equipment used was supplied through The Great Outdoor Gym Company. Please call us for a quote.

Other recently completed projects:

• Waltham Abbey Town Council: Toddler Play Area designed, supplied and installed;
• The Avenue School, Reading: Tiger Mulch resin-bonded surfacing installed;
• Downton Parish Council: Basket swing installed;
• Idmiston Parish Council: Surfacing changed from bark to Tiger Mulch.

Looking for Cost-effective Wooden Equipment for the Very Young?

We recently installed this low-level agility trail at a play area for a Housing Association in Cornwall. The whole thing was supplied, delivered and installed in under a week to the satisfaction of both the client and users. Please call us if you are looking for something similar or would like a bespoke piece to suit your space.

If you would like any more information on any of the above, please contact Charles, Helen or Kirsty on 01225 830083 for more information or visit our website www.mantleisure.co.uk and have a look at the many changes that have happened to the site lately.

Want to follow us on Facebook? Follow this link to our page http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mant-Leisure/213063248731252?sk=walland sign up to keep up to date with all our news.

However, the Friends of Goonhavern Park need your help. In the hope of increasing their funds, they are inviting people to back the project in the Natwest Community Force fund competition. To register your vote, please go to http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5163.

Many thanks!