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Reported by News and Star
A NEW £3.8m indoor padel tennis centre is to open in Cumbira – the first of its kind in the county.
Now Cumbrians will be able to take part in the increasingly popular racket sport at a new state-of-the-art facility in Workington.
Bill Dixon, whose family own Dixons department store in Whitehaven and Dunmail Park in Workington, is behind the new indoor padel centre which he hopes to open before Christmas.
Four padel courts have been transported from Spain and installed in an empty unit opposite Dunmail Park.
Mr Dixon said: “I had heard that this was a growing sport and was the second biggest sport in Spain. There are no courts in Cumbria and I realised that it was a long way from Workington to the nearest place to play padel.
These courts are the highest specification and are super panoramic which give the best visibility if we were to stage competitions and put in seating. That would give spectators the best view for matches.
The centre has been installed with innovative automation technology which controls access and lighting, saving resources.
Bookings are made via an app and can be arranged for groups or individuals, who will be matched with other players at a similar level. Coaching sessions are also booked on the app.
Victor Caballero Ariztegui, of Smart Padel Automation, the Spanish company behind the technology, recently visited Workington and believes the facility will be an asset to the community.
He said: “One of the main causes of this project is to bring the community together through leisure and sport.
“It’s a community hub and that’s what we want to bring to Workington. A place where people can gather but also connect through this technology where you can build a community.
“Having more leisure for people is going to bring good things for Workington and put it on the map. It’s going to have a good impact on Workington and the surrounding areas.”
Mr Dixon said if demand for the padel courts was high, additional units could be converted to house up to nine courts.
The facility will initially have toilets and a changing room and there are plans to install showers and a bar in the future.
With roots in Mexico and Spain, padel was first recognised as a professional sport in the 1990s. It was designed to be a sport for all ages and is said to be more social than tennis.
