Padel Social Club received planning permission for a new facility at The O2. Padel Social Club at The O2 will occupy c. 1,207m2 at the destination and house three indoor courts. In addition to these, the facility will boast an array of amenities designed to enhance the social nature of the sport including social areas, a bar, a cosy cafe boasting curated food menus from rotating partnerships with different restaurants and chefs, modern changing rooms, and a mezzanine with riverside views.
The O2 has already established itself as a sought-after destination for leisure, retail, and F&B, with operators such as iFLY Indoor Skydiving, TOCA Social, and Boom Battle Bar embedded within its offering, making it the perfect location for Padel Social Club to expand its operations. Not only will the club be a permanent fixture at The O2, but it is hoped to become a gateway to host professional international padel events at The O2 in future years.
Janine Constantin-Russell, Managing Director of The Entertainment District at The O2 spoke of this development, “Leisure is a core part to the fabric of The O2, and we are always evaluating the ways that we can take it to the next level, and we believe Padel Social Club does exactly this. Not only will the concept complement our existing offer, but the sport has become an international phenomenon which will perfectly cater to our varied visitor demographic. What’s more, the offering reinforces our reputation of delivering an unmatched all-encompassing experience, and we look forward to having Padel Social Club as part of our family at The O2.”
Rob Heasman, CEO of The Earls Court Development Company spoke of the Empress Place's new courts, “The Earls Court site has long been a stage for world-class culture and entertainment. It hosted the Olympic games twice and we are delighted to build on this sporting legacy and bring Padel to Earls Court. We have a vision to bring the wonder back to Earls Court, bringing padel is part of delivering on this vision from the earliest stages.”
Tom Profumo, Partner at Active Partners commented: “With Padel being the fastest growing sport in Europe, and a limited number of padel courts currently available in the UK, there is a huge opportunity for a premium and community-focused brand like Padel Social Club to take a leading position in the UK market. As consumer investors who have partnered with a host of community-led brands like Soho House, Rapha and Secret Cinema, we are excited to work with Kristian and the team to bring their distinct padel experience to enthusiasts in London and across the UK.”
“It’s incredibly exciting to see these projects come to life, " said Kristian Hunter, CEO of Padel Social Club. “Since we started the business we’ve been incredibly focused on trying to bring our clubs to iconic locations and there is hardly anything more iconic than The O2. This, alongside our imminent showcourt in Earls Court, in such a central London location, will be a great platform to showcase the Padel Social Club experience. Looking at the success of the best Padel clubs in Europe we’ve always felt there was a market in the UK to build Padel Clubs with a big part of the experience focused on the social nature of the game, and our passion for delivering the best possible experience both on and off the court will hopefully satisfy an untapped consumer demand”.
