Leisure operator and social enterprise Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) has today announced a partnership with Game4Padel, the UK’s leading developer and operator of padel facilities, which will transform participation within the UK of this rapidly evolving sport.
The agreement will see GLL, which is the UK’s largest operator of municipal leisure facilities, provide sites for padel courts at many of the 250 leisure centres and sports grounds it operates under its ‘Better’ brand. Game4Padel will install the courts and provide the expertise to deliver the sport, which is still in its infancy within the UK.
Suitable sites within GLL’s portfolio are currently being identified, including Gosling Sports Park in Welwyn Garden City, which has an annual footfall of one million visitors. In the short-term temporary ‘pop up’ padel courts will be used, with the first of these coming online by the end of February 2023. Expert coaching will be on offer, alongside the opportunity to take part in social and competitive leagues.
Game4Padel is the fastest growing company in the fastest growing sport in the UK. The company boasts a diverse group of experienced UK ambassadors, including former world number one tennis players Andy and Jamie Murray, Liverpool FC defender and Dutch international Virgil van Dijk, the former British number one players Annabel Croft and Andrew Castle, and Welsh rugby legend Jonathan Davies.
Padel was recently described in media as the “biggest fitness trend of the Summer’ and the ‘racket sport that’s rapidly becoming a big hit’. The game originally started in Mexico and quickly swept through South America and then into Europe. Spain is reckoned to have over 20,000 padel courts, and an estimated six million players – it is now the country’s second biggest participation sport after football. Padel is played in 91 countries and and is the fastest growing sport in many countries such as Sweden and Italy. Forecasters predict padel will become an Olympic sport by 2032.
Game4Padel Co-Founder and CEO, Michael Gradon, said: “This is an extremely exciting development as it will rapidly grow the sport of padel in the UK. GLL has a wealth of existing leisure and sports sites with a user base of active people who, we believe, are prime candidates for trying out this new game. We are delighted to have been selected by GLL as their padel provider and will use our experience and expertise to bring padel facilities to people all across the UK.”
Andrew Clark, Head of Sport & Aquatics at GLL, added: “We are excited about this new partnership with Game4Padel. The game is easy to pick up, can be played by people of all ages and abilities, and is extremely fun and sociable. All of these factors make the game an attractive option for us as we aim to deliver sports and leisure facilities which can bring communities together to stay active and healthy”.
Game4Padel investor and former world number one tennis player, Andy Murray, said: “This partnership is great because it will rapidly grow the sport of padel in the UK. There is huge demand for padel with many people unable to access courts locally – this partnership should really help meet that demand, and quickly.”
Game4Padel already has the most venues open around the UK including:
● Thistle Padel Club, Edinburgh
● Barnton Park LTC, Edinburgh
● Windsor Penarth LTC, Penarth
● Huddersfield LT&SC, Yorkshire
● Heron Tennis Centre, Newquay
● Withdean Sports Complex, Brighton
● Broxbourne Sports Club, Hertfordshire
● Edinburgh Park, with developers Parabola
● Ipswich Sports Club, Suffolk
The company has a total of 30 venues open or secured including Westfield London shopping centre, a partnership with golf’s R&A at Lethamhill Glasgow, Ocean Terminal Leith, Liverpool Cricket Club, and Forthill Community Sports Club Dundee, and is in discussions with more than 50 additional venues excluding the GLL sites.
Game4Padel offers to partner with a wide range of venues, including sports clubs, leisure centres, parks, schools, universities and, increasingly, commercial venues. Its capital and technical expertise enables it to finance, install, maintain and operate padel courts in any setting. The company also creates bespoke coaching and playing programmes, events, tournaments, and engagement activities for children and schools.
For more information visit: https://www.better.org.uk/what-we-offer/activities/padel
