True Padel to open new club in Sunderland

A North East sports venue operator is set to open a new club at Wessington Retail Park in Sunderland.

True Padel has agreed a lease over the former Wickes Unit on Wessington Way.

The deal will see the padel-tennis provider operate a 24,000 square foot complex, which is expected to open for business this winter.

The facilities will include five doubles courts and two new-concept single courts with showers, changing rooms, free parking, and a bar including a sports lounge.

There is also the potential to add on some outdoor courts should demand prove to be as high as forecasted.

True Padel has already welcomed 4,000 people through the doors of its 38,000 square foot dedicated indoor facility in Durham, which opened in 2023, and expects the Sunderland site to be just as successful.

Adam Carr, True Padel’s co-director said: “We are thrilled to be bringing a new True Padel Club to Sunderland.

“Our new Sunderland club will offer a social environment similar to the existing Durham location, featuring social tournaments and events, coaching, and a community-focused atmosphere.

“We are all very excited about extending our reach to Wearside, bringing the vibrant indoor padel experience, which has become the hall mark of True Padel.

“In addition to our Sunderland site, we have several large indoor sites lined up across other parts of the North East, with more details coming soon.”

A cross between tennis and squash, padel is played in doubles format on a court one-third the size of a traditional tennis court.

In the UK, the sport continues to grow in popularity with an additional 250 padel courts built between 2022 and 2023 – an increase of 116 per cent in 12 months.

True Padel has partnered with regeneration and property development specialist Adderstone Group.

Ian Baggett, Adderstone Group chief executive and former GB tennis player said: “We are delighted to play a role in supporting True Padel’s continued success.

“This is a commercial venture but it’s great to be part of a project that is ‘putting back’ into a modern-day variant of the sport which I love and owe so much to.”

Councillor Kevin Johnston, cabinet member for Housing, Regeneration and Business at Sunderland City Council, said: “These are such exciting times for Sunderland.

“It’s great to see so many major projects acting as catalysts to further investment, giving local developers such as Adderstone the confidence to deliver the more niche developments that are also needed in Sunderland.

“I can’t think of a more perfect time to be introducing a new sport to our city.”

 

Pictured: Adam Carr and Ian Baggett