£1m investment in Gloucester Quays Padel club

Peel Retail & Leisure has announced the launch of The Padel Club at Gloucester Quays Retail Park, bringing the fast-growing leisure activity to and indoor centre in the city for the first time.

The Padel Club invested £1 million to create the indoor venue at Gloucester Quays Retail Park, which includes nine courts. Covering 43,577 sq ft, the site serves as a social space for padel enthusiasts, incorporating a restaurant and bar.

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

The launch of The Padel Club broadens the leisure offer within Gloucester, also supporting the evolution of the tenant mix within the Retail Park and top 10 UK outlet Gloucester Quays, next door.

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 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!”

Gloucester Quays is repositioning its tenant mix to include more leisure. It also represents the second time Peel has worked with the operator, with an 11-court venue due to launch within TraffordCity later this year.