Game4Padel plans to double the size of its UK empire by building 50 new courts this year – starting with imminent openings in Humberside and Staffordshire.
The UK’s largest padel club operator is installing two covered courts at Cottingham Lawn Tennis Club (CLTC) just outside Hull. Building work will begin this month and the courts will be ready for play in the summer. It will be the first padel site in Hull and East Yorkshire.
CLTC is a thriving tennis club with five artificial grass tennis courts and four hard courts, and has a highly engaged membership base of 350 people. It also offers pay and play opportunities. The club has a vibrant community of local players of all ages and the courts are used by the University of Hull tennis society.
Doug Jennings, Chairman of CLTC, commented: “This partnership with Game4Padel is a great opportunity for the club to develop further the club’s already fantastic facilities and offer club members and visitors the opportunity to play an exciting new game.”
Yorkshire was an early adopter of padel with a number of sites around the county, but so far none have been built in Hull.
Meanwhile, Game4Padel is also building two covered courts at Draycott Racquet & Fitness Club near Stoke-on-Trent. Work on the new facilities is already underway, with an opening date set for the end of May or early June.
Draycott Racquet & Fitness Club is a thriving sports club open to the local community, which currently offers indoor and outdoor tennis, squash, badminton and gym facilities. The club has 550 members.
Draycott Racquet & Fitness Club Chairman, Mike Heath, said: “Padel is going to be a great addition to our facilities at Draycott. We have seen how popular the game is becoming all around the UK and we believe the courts will be really busy here where we have an active membership already of people who enjoy a range of sports. The benefits of padel are that it’s really sociable, great fun and easy to pick up – you don’t need any previous racquet experience – so we encourage as many people as possible to come and try it out.”
Game4Padel CEO, Michael Gradon, said: “The demand for padel continues in the UK but finding the right site can be a challenge. This is, however, a fantastic location, with an existing community of racket sports fans and the University on its doorstep. The fact that the courts are covered will mean people can play padel all year round. We are continuing to see high occupancy levels at most of our other venues around the UK.”
