Bristol is set to get a huge new indoor padel tennis centre with luxury facilities. Surge Padel, already home to the largest indoor padel centre in the county, is opening a new club in Fishponds in the spring.
Padel is a racket played mostly in doubles on an enclosed indoor court surrounded by glass and three-quarters of the size of a tennis court. It also has a likeness to squash, first originating in Mexico in the 1960s using the same scoring and similar rules to tennis.
Padel tennis has soared in popularity in recent years and is growing in the South West, with one indoor centre in Lockleaze. Director of Surge Padel, Stuart Perrin, believes the interest in the sport is due to its inclusivity. "It's definitely a lot more fun for all ages really."
Read more: First ever Wallace & Gromit escape room opens in Bristol
He explained: "You play in pairs, it's really quite social and afterwards you can stick around and have a beer or wine while you watch the game. It's less skilled than tennis, you serve underhand and the ball stays in longer, leading to longer rallies."
Surge Padel already had one site in Harrogate set up a year ago, which is the largest indoor facility in the UK, and set its sites to open in Bristol at the end of March. It's the fastest-growing sport in the world and is taking over a unit in Lodge Causeway Trading Estate, a business park in Fishponds.
Stuart continued: "We were the UK's first full indoor centre and we've absolutely killed the marketplace completely with what we did in Harrogate. It's proving that the thing that has been holding it back in the UK is the weather. We're fully indoors where you'll find many other operators are half-and-half or fully outdoor facilities which means it's just unplayable in some months."
The Bristol centre will have eight indoor panoramic courts, luxury changing room facilities and a members' bar. It also promises expert coaches on hand as well as a pro shop to purchase equipment and Addidas apparel. There will be equipment available for hire.
People in Bristol should keep an eye on Surge Padel's socials for presales and discounts ahead of opening. Court hire will range in price from £20 to £45 an hour outside of promotional offers. The centre will be open seven days a week Monday to Friday from 6am until 10pm and weekends from 8am.
Surge Padel's Bristol centre will be based in Unit 1, Lodge Causeway Trading Estate, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 3JB
Up next:
