Two new places to play padel in Shropshire: Telford Tennis Centre and Prees
Telford's new courts open on Sunday 1 November, while a charity-funded floodlit court in Prees is already taking bookings at £20 an hour.
Shropshire has two more places to play padel this week. The new courts at Telford Tennis Centre open officially on Sunday 1 November. In the north Shropshire village of Prees, a floodlit outdoor court is already taking bookings after a launch day at the weekend.
Telford: the council and a coaching firm team up
Telford & Wrekin Council announced on 28 October that the Telford Tennis Centre courts have been delivered with We Do Tennis, as part of a wider investment in racket sports across the borough. Bookings are already open on the Padel Mates app at £20 to £28 an hour, and the council says the app has some introductory offers.
Councillor Angela McClements, the council's cabinet member for culture, tourism and leisure, called the courts another sign of the council's commitment to leisure facilities that support health and wellbeing. Nigel Hunter, co-director of We Do Tennis, said there was already plenty of local interest. He added that the courts are for everyone, from complete beginners to experienced players.
The council's announcement doesn't say how many courts there are, so check the booking app for availability.
Prees: a village court kept cheap on purpose
According to Shropshire Live, Prees Sports & Social Club opened its new court with a launch day at the weekend. The rain didn't put people off. Plenty of adults and children turned up for their first go, with coach Andre Mouskides on hand to help.
The court was funded by the Grocott Family Foundation, a charity based in Prees, which worked with club hosts Kelly and Andy Edge. From the start, the aim was to keep the hire price low. A court costs £20 an hour, booked on Playtomic, and players get a unique code to open the gate. It is open from 9am to 9pm every day, all year round. Part of every booking fee goes back to the foundation, which uses it to support other local charities and organisations.
Linda Grocott, a foundation trustee and a vice president of the club, said the team had been determined to keep the price as low as possible so that people of all ages would use the court. She said they were proud to have brought the sport to a small village.
Two routes to more courts
Neither opening is huge, but they show two ways new courts are getting built. In Telford, a council has teamed up with a coaching operator at an existing tennis centre. In Prees, a local charity paid for a single court at a village club. Split between four players, an hour at either venue works out at roughly £5 to £7 each. That is at or below the typical off-peak price in our guide to what padel costs in the UK.
New to the game? Our beginner's guide to playing padel covers what to expect from your first session, and our where to play padel in the UK guide explains how to find and book courts near you.
