New courts, new crowd: why garden centres could be the next big play for padel

Padel’s meteoric rise shows no signs of slowing and industry watchers are increasingly predicting that garden centres could be the next big hitters in the UK’s fastest-growing sport…

Already transforming health clubs, traditional racquet clubs, sports venues and hotels across the country, padel courts are now being tipped as a natural fit for garden centres looking to expand their offering. Why? With many garden centres boasting large plots and underused corners of land, the sport offers an exciting way to unlock new value from space that might otherwise sit idle.

What’s more, many garden centres already feature many ‘must haves’ padel facilities – generous parking, toilets and a café for after-match refreshments, so the upgrade is a natural one.

The investment is significant, but so too are the rewards. A padel court can transform quiet parts of your site into vibrant new social hubs, attract an entirely new demographic to your centre and enhance your centre’s reputation as a leisure destination. Importantly, padel players don’t just come to play – they often stay to eat, drink and socialise too – so frequently deliver a significant uplift in hospitality revenues.

The trend mirrors what has already been seen across the wider leisure sector. Traditional racquet clubs like Nottingham Tennis Centre, gym chains like David Lloyd and Bannatyne Health Clubs and multi sports providers like Powerleague have all seen significant uplifts in memberships and year-round usage and revenues since we installed all-weather padel court canopies at their sites.

Serve up something new for your customers to enjoy

If you’re looking to diversify your offer why not get in touch with our expert team today? As leaders in both the padel and garden centre sectors, we’re ideally placed to help you get ahead of the curve, so you don’t miss out on the sector’s big new growth area. Together let’s plant the seeds of the next big attraction at your centre…

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