Under construction Melton Padel and wellbeing centre hailed as unique lifestyle venue
The founders of a planned new £1M Padel and wellbeing centre in Melton Mowbray say they are creating a unique lifestyle venue in the perfect location.
Builders are converting a former workshop building at the rear of Pera Business Park into the Play PDL centre, with most of the site to be used for six courts for Padel, one of the fastest growing sports in the UK which is played with solid rackets and small courts with nets and surrounding walls.
There will also be lots of other spaces created for pilates and yoga, co-working, business meetings, a doctor-led health clinic and a cafe serving hot drinks as well as smoothies and protein shakes.
Work started on the development in early May and it is anticipated the centre will be open for use by the middle of next month.
The Melton Times was this week given a tour of the site and co-founder Hamza Bodhaniya told us that Padel will just be a small part of the offering there: “We want to create a place where people are surrounded by health, community, sport and movement.
“A place where you can work, relax, meet friends, eat and drink and also take care of your wellbeing. There will be something for everyone.”
On the location, he added: “We are close to the centre of town, next to a business park with 500-plus people who work there and we’ve also got a supermarket over the road.
“There is also a children’s nursery so it’s ideal for parents who will be using us.”
The aim is to work with schools to get children playing Padel and nurture future champions – there will be tournaments including one for the various businesses on site.
There is also a focus on getting older people to use the facilities and enjoy socialising there. The building will be fully accessible to allow disabled youngsters and adults to visit. And they also want to get girls and women playing the sport which has traditionally had a majority of male players.
The workshop was built in the early 1960s to serve what was then a Pera technology, research and development facility. It was more recently used as a light industrial recycling pilot plant.
A new roof was installed by the business park and the building is sturdy.
Hamza said: “We are doing a lot of work to the floor.
“It has to be level and structurally strong enough to support the glass and steel courts."
Up to 20 local jobs will be created when the centre is up and running.
It will be open from 6am to 11pm seven days a week, with free parking on site.
Hamza added: “Anyone we talk to is super excited about what we are creating here.”
People in the Melton borough will soon be spoiled for choice with venues to play Padel.
Padel Mews has already opened at the Scalford Station site and a new Padel centre opens next month on Orston Lane in Bottesford.
Rally Yard Melton – with five Padel courts and a clubhouse – is set to open next month at Asfordby Business Park.
And there are also proposals to build four Padel courts on the site of an old toilet block close to Wilton Park in Melton Mowbray.