Retail park serves up city’s debut padel club

Peel Retail & Leisure has launched The Padel Club at Gloucester Quays Retail Park, bringing the booming leisure activity to the city for the first time.

The Padel Club invested £1m to create the expansive indoor venue which includes nine high specification courts.

Covering 43,577 sq ft, the site serves as a social space for padel enthusiasts, incorporating a wellness-focused restaurant and bar.

Padel is a form of tennis played in an enclosed space about a third the size of a typical court, and is the fastest growing sport in the world.

Mark Whittaker, managing director – Peel Retail & Leisure, said: “The popularity of padel has risen exponentially, and no doubt there will be plenty of people that live in, work in, or visit Gloucester that love the sport. Operators like The Padel Club will have had lots of options in the region for opening a new venue, so we wanted to make sure this is something we could bring to the city before anyone else. Gloucester Quays Retail Park, by virtue of its location, accessibility, and connection to Gloucester Quays outlet next door, is a perfect location for padel, and having it here will benefit the millions of visitors we already have each year while also appealing to a completely new clientele.”

Hannah Thomas, general manager at The Padel Club Gloucester Quays, added: “The reason padel has taken off in the UK is because it is more than just a sport or a fun way to exercise, it also brings a real sense of community and is one of the most accessible activities around. Gloucester is a great place to expand the presence of padel in the south west, given its sporting background, and Gloucester Quays Retail Park has provided us with the best possible site to reach the broadest demographic of people we can. If you haven’t tried padel yet, come along and see how addictive and enjoyable it is. If you are a padel enthusiast, we cannot wait to see you on the court.”