National tournament hosting hope from padel plan

2 days ago

Tom CookeNuneaton

News image — Council leader Chris Watkins claimed the new padel centre in Nuneaton would feature the ''first outdoor championship court in the country''

BBC A man smiles toward the camera, he is wearing a burgundy jumper and grey suit jacket. He has a short grey beard, and bald head. — Council leader Chris Watkins claimed the new padel centre in Nuneaton would feature the ''first outdoor championship court in the country''

A town in Warwickshire could host national padel tournaments in the future after fresh plans for a proposed new centre were revealed.

The indoor padel centre in Nuneaton is due to open later this year but those behind it have now asked to have a further two outdoor courts on the site at Grayson Place, near Abbey Street.

"What they're looking to do is have two double outdoor courts [which would be] a training court and a tournament court," borough council leader Chris Watkins said.

''I'm really proud of what's happening in Nuneaton."

He claimed the new centre would feature the ''first outdoor championship court in the country''.

The council will take a decision on the plans in the future.

The authority anticipates signing a lease for the site with Corte Sport/Hayes Sports Partnership Ltd soon, a spokesperson said.

A large grey building with glass panels on the ground floor is behind a newly built sandstone paved area. There are wooden benches and flower beds and stepped area in front of the building. — The new indoor padel centre will have three indoor courts as well as two outdoor ones, under current plans

Padel - a blend of tennis and squash, played on courts about a third smaller than tennis courts - was invented in Mexico in 1969 but in recent years has grown in popularity, with an estimated 30 million players across the world.

The game is mainly played in the doubles format, with players using solid racquets with no strings.

The courts are enclosed and, like in squash, players can bounce the ball off the walls.

A large modern grey building with three pitched roofs and an open balcony area look out onto a newly paved area — The council have also built three food halls at the site in which they hope to attract a restaurant chain or food outlet into

The site for the Nuneaton plans, Grayson Place, is on the old Co-op site in the town centre.

The scheme is the first project in the Transforming Nuneaton programme, carried out by the borough council and Warwickshire County Council, with Abbey Street's strategic development partner, Queensberry.

The indoor padel centre was originally due to house a cinema but in February the borough council pulled out of an agreement to lease the building to the Really Local Group.

Along with the indoor and outdoor padel facilities, the authority have also constructed a building, which they hope will attract a restaurant brand to the site.

''We've got some food halls so hopefully we can get some big chains in there and then, in the centre [of Grayson Place], will be a public realm so we can have events on all throughout the year," Mr Watkins added.

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