Club de Padel, whose inner-city venue in Manchester has gone down a storm in 2024, is set to open the first dedicated indoor padel club in Sheffield in 2025.
Sheffield has been a relatively slow padel adopter among Britain’s big cities, with one court at Ecclesall Lawn Tennis club, two public courts under construction at Hillsborough Park and a temporary court for members at Hallamshire Tennis & Squash Club.
Club de Padel is looking to establish the Steel City on the UK padel map with five courts alongside a club shop, coffee & juice bar and additional social & wellness space at the former Cannon Brewery site, in Neepsend, one mile north west of the city centre.
The Padel Paper has also heard whispers of another operator set to launch a project in Sheffield in the first half of 2025, so the sport-mad city will soon be well equipped for newcomers to the 20×10.
Capital&Centric, known for bringing historic buildings back to life, is planning to deliver 550 new homes at the Neepsend site, as well as work and cultural spaces. An urban park and a new public square with shops, cafés and spaces for pop-up events are also proposed.
David Blake, co-founder of Club de Padel, said: “We’re really excited to bring Club de Padel to Sheffield and have the chance to breathe new life into this incredible space alongside the team at Capital&Centric.
“We’ve had some fantastic times in this city over the years, as both kids and adults, so we can’t wait to bring Club de Padel here and to introduce as many people as possible to this amazing sport which is exploding across the UK.”
Matt McKinlay, co-founder of Club de Padel, said: “When we first opened in Manchester, we were the first club in the city, so we had to grow a padel community from scratch.
“The combination of Playtomic and community Whatsapp groups has allowed us to create a space where everyone, from complete beginners to seasoned players, feels welcome. We’ve seen genuine friendships form around the club and some great players emerge, which is something we’re really proud of.”
Tom Wilmot, joint managing director of Capital&Centric, said: “For us, this is about bringing life to a forgotten, unloved space and creating a community before we’ve even started building work, while boosting Sheffield’s standing as the outdoor, active city.
“Opening a padel club in this post industrial setting will create an immersive and engaging experience unlike anywhere else, so we’re super excited to be bringing Club de Padel to Cannon Brewery.
“Padel is rapidly growing in popularity, so we’ve got the opportunity to do something really special here, kickstarting the regeneration of Neepsend.”
Club de Padel co-founder, James Wigglesworth, added: “We’ve tried to lower the barriers to entry at every point to ensure we are building a diverse and highly engaged community.
“We include rackets and balls in our court pricing so there are no hidden costs, and we will be working closely with our coaching team and local schools and charities to provide opportunities for all to get involved.
“We feel that padel in the UK is just getting started and it’s great to be able to contribute to its continued growth in the North of England.”
Capital&Centric is working with South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and Sheffield City Council to bring Cannon Brewery forward. The combined authority awarded a £11.67m grant to kick-start the regeneration earlier this year.
The developer is set to start on site in spring 2025 with demolition works, and more detailed plans for phase one – which includes 270 homes and 20,000 sq ft of commercial space for independent food outlets, leisure and workspace – due in the summer.
A planning application has now been submitted for the padel courts on the land that is to be developed in the second phase of the project.
