Cheltenham-based East Glos Club launched the first padel courts in southwest England in April 2021. Twenty months on, we look at how padel has fared at this multi-sports rackets club.
Founded in 1885 and occupying a nine-acre site, East Glos is one of the largest rackets clubs in the southwest, with over 1800 members.
Having seen the success of padel in Europe and with padel predicted to boom in the UK, in 2019, the club’s Board of Directors started work on introducing the sport. The club decided to convert one disused grass court into three outdoor floodlit padel courts.
Construction started in November 2020, working with the following partners: The Raise Partnership for feasibility, planning advice, and project management; Padeltech for the courts infrastructure, supply and installation; Courtstall Services for the groundworks.
The project was 50% funded by the club, and 50% came from the LTA’s interest-free Quick Access Loan Scheme.
East Glos also took the opportunity to introduce a simplified single rackets membership covering all four sports: Tennis, squash, racketball and padel. Previously there were separate tennis and squash subscriptions with a small premium for those who wanted to play both.
A comprehensive marketing campaign supported the launch, including local TV, radio and press coverage.
The club formed a padel committee, which acts as the interface between the club’s management and members. The committee oversees all aspects of padel participation. That includes adult and junior coaching, tournaments and box leagues, team matches, pay and play bookings, new member taster and social sessions.
Monthly fun social tournaments helped to continue the launch momentum. Over 80 members participated in mixed, ladies’ and men’s events, and box leagues were also introduced.
Twenty months on how is padel faring at East Glos Club?
Over 200 new members joined the club in the first four months following the padel launch. The majority of those have continued as members.
Some of these new members joined from outside the area specifically to play padel, and the club has significantly increased the number of Spanish-speaking members!
The new single rackets membership has created a “one club” feel. Many members now play more than one sport, whereas previously, they’d have only played one. They’re getting more value from their membership and spending longer at the club.
Because padel is less physically demanding, it has allowed some of the older members the chance to keep playing when the demands of tennis and squash would otherwise have caused them to stop.
The club’s teams are now competing regionally. Four men’s and four ladies’ teams entered the 2022 LTA national league.
Club manager Darren Morris said, “The introduction of padel at East Glos has been one of the most successful developments in the club’s 138-year history. We expected padel to be popular, but it has exceeded our expectations. We’re not resting on our laurels and are already looking at where we go next with padel here in Cheltenham”.
