Walking along St Anne's Road on a dreary morning, past endless industrial estates, the thought of coming to the area to socialise with your mates seems a bit improbable. Aside from the fantastic St Anne's House community and creative hub, there's not much to entice people who don't have specific business at one of the companies along this busy route, and you're not likely to see too many pedestrians strolling around.
That may soon change, though, as a vast new sports centre dedicated to the increasingly popular racket sport padel is opening its doors in a former depot just opposite St Anne's House on April 22. Grey and nondescript on the exterior but with plenty of parking, stepping inside Rocket Padel Bristol reveals an unexpectedly sleek and expansive space filled with 14 panoramic padel courts, as well as a shop to buy pro gear and a well-stocked bar and refreshment area.
Padel is a racket sport mainly played in doubles on an enclosed indoor court three-quarters the size of a tennis court which first originated in Mexico in the 1960s and uses the same scoring and similar rules to tennis. The sport has soared in popularity recently, particularly in Spain, with famous fans, including tennis stars Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and footballer Lionel Messi.
