'Finishing touches' being put in place for Padel Quarter in Portsmouth as it gets closer to opening
Family-run club set to open in Portsmouth
With participation rates doubling in the last year, padel is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK and Portsmouth is set to have its very own dedicated centre.
Padel Quarter will house six indoor courts as well as a cafe, pro shop and fitness studio enabling people to become part of the padel community in the city. Based in Admiral Park near Hilsea Railway Station, no date has yet been confirmed for the opening of the centre but the date is expected to be confirmed soon with the “finishing touches” being undertaken.
Padel Quarter was founded by Andrew Baxter who became “hooked immediately” to the sport after being turned on to it after persistent knee injuries forced him away from tennis and squash.
The sport combines elements of both tennis and squash and is played on a small enclosed court with the walls part of the game that the ball can be played against. Andrew was converted to it instantly as it allowed him to have a good workout without putting the same strain on his body, and it also became a great way to socialise. He found games would turn into conversations over coffee or a drink afterwards sparking the idea of opening his own centre so that more people could experience it.
That has now turned into Padel Quarter, a family-run business aiming to give people of all ages and abilities the chance to play padel and to feel welcome. Once open, there are plans for junior programmes, social sessions and expert coaching.
Andrew said: "I want people to walk through the doors and think, 'wow, this looks great.‘ Then, when they leave after their first visit, I want them to think, ‘That was even better than I expected.’”
Figures released by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) show that at the end of 2025, 860,000 adults and children played padel at least once that year in Great Britain That is more than double the 400,000 people that played the sport in 2024.
With padel centres and courts becoming more readily available, including now in Portsmouth, that figure could continue to grow.