Former warehouse near Victoria station to be turned into the north’s first ever indoor padel club

The first indoor padel club in the city centre will open its doors this summer as the sport continues to rise in popularity.

Housed in a former goods and distribution warehouse, situated a ten-minute walk from Victoria station, the state-of-the-art club centre will allow people to learn the ropes of padel, which is described as a mix between tennis and squash, as well as play professionally.

The premium Pure Padel venue will feature six panoramic padel courts, a pro-padel shop and a bistro-style café and bar. There will also be a raised mezzanine viewing platform overlooking a show court for visitors to watch games.

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Operating on a ‘pay to play’ basis, players of all abilities will be able to book slots via the Playtomic app between 7am and 10pm. The app will also allow first timers and solo players to be matched with others of a similar level for a fun and fair game.

The club, which will have no member fees, will also feature fully-equipped changing rooms with showers as well as free onsite parking and Wi-Fi to all customers. The Cheetham Hill venue will follow in the footsteps of Pure Padel’s Alderley Park club, which opened in October last year.

The club has proved to be hugely popular, with more than 4,000 players and a ‘soon-to-be’ status as the first padel club in the North West to operate multi-site facilities. In the next five years, it is anticipated that another 30 padel clubs will be built by Pure Padel, which was set up alongside business partner Fraser Higson, with eight currently in the planning stages.

“Padel has taken the UK by storm,” Sammy Arora, co-founder and head of commercial operations at Pure Padel, said. “The North West is slowly becoming a padel hub after leaders London and Bristol who set the scene. It’s partly due to how easy it is to pick up and also the plethora of courts across the region.

“We hope bringing indoor padel courts to Manchester will help make it even more accessible to those living and working closeby. Currently, north Manchester residents are travelling as far as Huddersfield to play so we know there’s demand for more padel courts in the city centre that are reachable by car and public transport.

“Choosing a site so close to Victoria train station is a real asset - we hope it’ll help bring players into the city centre who will go on to spend on hospitality and shopping to further support the local economy.

“Manchester’s cold and wet climate makes our indoor proposition even more attractive to players who are looking to keep up padel year round. The unpredictable weather conditions really impact the game, so courts protected from the elements ensure the best playing experience.”

The new club will also, in fact, be housed in the former warehouse once owned by Sammy’s grandad on Dutton Street. Built by himself in 1947 after fleeing the Indian partition, the warehouse started life as a cash and carry business.

“I’m proud to be able to find such a modern and worthwhile use that means my grandfather’s hard work all those years ago will live on and benefit so many people today,” Sammy explained.

“Keeping the warehouse in the family has been something I really wanted to do as recognition for my grandfather’s sacrifices and stealth business acumen all those years ago. As the third generation of Aroras to take over, it’s both an exciting and challenging time.

“Embarking on my own entrepreneurial journey having such well known and successful predecessors is not without its pressures, but I’m grateful for their guidance and am looking forward to the challenge.”

The indoor courts are set to open in August, with more details on Pure Padel here.