Padel for All – Padel at public leisure centres

by Wayne Jones

In September 2019 exactly 11 weeks after my full hip replacement I played my first game of Padel at my local leisure centre in Burgess Hill, West Sussex!

A few weeks earlier I had seen it being played when on holiday in Spain. Watching, I did not understand it, but saw four players having great fun and was determined to give it a go.

After an hour I was hooked – as a member the court was free and we were able to hire rackets for a few pounds. Now just over a year later, I play 4/5 times a week (Covid allowing of course) and have introduced upwards of 50 people to this game from 4 years old and including those with disabilities.

The court at Burgess Hill is the inspiration of Glen Wilkinson, the Leisure Partnership Officer at Mid Sussex District Council. He prepared the business case and guided it through the council and Places Leisure who manage The Triangle on behalf of council. He has been a star! The court has a canopy and is also on the leeward side of the main building. It is right outside the café, next to the swimming pool and gets lots of passing trade as users walk past on their way to the other outside activities. It is in the perfect spot to showcase how much fun and inclusive it is. It has an occupancy rate of over 90% even in the winter.

Why is it so popular?

Well Padel is the perfect outside winter game when you have a roof! At the Triangle it is free to members but paying guests are only charged £12 per court per hour.