Public Padel Courts- with social & physical benefits- Alexandra & Victoria Recs

Build 6 public padel padel courts in Alexandra Rec and 2 public padel courts in Victoria Rec.

What is padel? Padel is a cross between tennis and squash. It's played in doubles on a closed court about a third the size of a tennis court. It's easier to learn and less physically demanding than tennis, making it accessible and fun for players of all ages and skill levels. Padel is a fun, accessible, and dynamic sport, with HUGE social benefits. It's also the fastest growing sport in the UK!

Currently, there are no publicly accessible padel courts in Surbiton or in Kingston, or anywhere nearby. The closest public courts are in Roehampton at the NTC. There is only one place (with 2 courts) to play in all of Kingston Borough, and you need to be a member of the Surbiton Racket club to play. Most people will never have access to this amazing sport because there are no courts to try it out. In contrast, we have many public tennis courts (and they are underused). There is HUGE demand for padel courts, with people travelling long distances to meet new players and book courts.

In Stratford, they've set up In Spain, Denmark, Portugal, and other European countries, public courts range from 4€ to 20€ per hour and they are everywhere. We could do the same in Surbiton.

Padel brings joy. Padel creates community. Padel improves our mental health and physical fitness. Padel is also a family sport that can be played across generations.

By creating 8 public courts (6 in Alexandra Rec, 2 in Victoria Rec) that are affordable for Kingston residents to book, we could create a strong sense of community and bring together from all walks of life - young and old.

The pandemic has done a lot of damage to our ph mental health. People are lonelier than ever before. And we also have an obesity problem in the UK. Just like pickleball (see my other idea!), padel also solves all three of these problems in spades. I have experienced all of this myself by learning to play padel at the Surbiton Racket Club and I think everyone should have access to the UK's fastest growing sport.

Imagine a drop-in system where people can play social padel for a small fee (£2 or make it free!), or set up a system for court rental like the one we use for public tennis courts. For example, Social Padel sessions can run from 8am to 10am every single morning and anyone can show up and queue to play. Limit it to 32 people for 6 courts, with 4 Players on each court, and everyone will have ample playing and socialising time. Players can run these sessions themselves without any staffing needed. Within weeks, I GUARANTEE you that there will be a social community that is built around the padel courts. Add in a cafe with tables, and you will create friendships for life.

People say that padel is easy to learn but hard to master. Most people can hit a ball across the net within 15-30 minutes of picking up a racket, including children (8+) and seniors (without mobility issues). It's also played in doubles and on a small court, so this encourages more social interaction than tennis. Because it's a strategic and partnered game, power and mobility do not necessarily trump a well-placed shot. This means that women make up about 30% of padel players (compared to 15% in tennis).

FYI - I have nothing to gain from this. I just happen to REALLY love padel. I care a lot about good public policy (I'm an academic!) and I think padel (and pickleball) have the potential to transform people's lives in Surbiton, in London, and across the UK.