There’s a particular moment on any working farm when reality barges in, wipes its boots on future plans, and sits heavily at the table. For Callum Stark, that moment didn’t arrive quietly. It came dressed as a 0.6% return on assets and an inheritance tax bill hefty enough to make anyone take an interest in alternative career paths.
Because here’s the thing about farming, it looks idyllic right up until you try to make a living from it. Then it becomes a game of impossibly tight margins. Just carrying on was financially questionable. So, Callum did what more farmers are starting to consider, but fewer actually commit to – he changed the script.
Enter padel. Not the first thing that springs to mind when you picture Sutton-on-the-Forest, York. But then again, neither is financial stability when you’re relying solely on traditional agriculture. And padel, inconveniently for sceptics, happens to be the world’s fastest-growing racket sport and, more importantly, one that pays its way.
So, instead of another polite attempt at diversification such as a farm shop with artisanal chutney or a couple of holiday cottages, Callum went bigger, much bigger.
On his land now sits The Padel Farm – two indoor courts, coaching facilities, and coffee shop. It’s drawing in a crowd that doesn’t typically wander onto farmland – players, fitness fanatics, and those who’ve heard friends rave about padel so much they should probably investigate.
Callum remains hands-on with the farming. His daily schedule is a mix of paperwork, potatoes, project management and the occasional stint on a padel court.
He’ll tell you he’s not the best player there, largely because he rarely gets the chance. But that was never the ambition. For Callum, this isn’t about playing padel all day, it’s about building something that works. And crucially, something that keeps people around.
Because a couple of courts alone wouldn’t cut it. The real idea is to turn the farm into a destination – somewhere you arrive with vague plans and leave wondering how it got dark so quickly. Which means thinking beyond sport.
Of course, none of this materialises without tackling a lot of red tape. You don’t just drop a glass court into a field and hope for the best. There are planning permissions, land-use debates, and meetings where rural policy gets discussed over and over. But beneath the paperwork is a growing acceptance – farms either adapt or quietly fade away.
What’s already up and running is only the beginning. The long-term vision for The Padel Farm includes additional courts (indoor, obviously, because Yorkshire, an outdoor court for that rare sunny day), a café and bar, wellness spaces, spin and pilates studios, plus hot tubs and ice baths for those who enjoy extremes in both directions.
And then, just to keep things interesting, there’s a Hyrox gym. A high-intensity fitness trend that feels part endurance test, part existential crisis. Naturally, it’s been given its own space on-site, because like padel, Hyrox is in high demand.
The shift is already noticeable. What was once a business scraping by now has momentum – real, tangible movement. Multiple revenue streams, growing footfall, and people choosing to be there rather than needing to be. It’s a subtle but important distinction.
For years, diversification in farming meant small, cautious additions. This is so much more. By summer, the full version will be in full swing – courts booked solid, coffee flowing, gym humming, saunas doing their Nordic thing that they do so well. It’s still a farm, but not as you know it.
