Padel Courts in Brighton & Hove See Record Usage Despite Court Availability Challenges

Strategic Insights -

Brighton & Hove City Council and the UK Government have announced that the padel and tennis facilities at Hove Beach Park, operated by Game4Padel, have seen consistently high usage rates since their opening in December 2024. With an average weekly usage of 97% since March 2025, the four padel courts at Hove Beach Park have become a hub for the thriving local padel community. However, a recent survey highlighted the main barrier to playing more padel as court availability, prompting Game4Padel to explore changes to their booking process.

Key Takeaways:

  • The padel courts at Hove Beach Park have seen an average weekly usage of 97% since March 2025, with a total of 392 hours of court time available per week.
  • A recent survey of padel players in the area found that 36% of people are now more active since they started playing padel, with court availability cited as the main barrier to playing more.
  • The Hove Beach Park regeneration project, which includes the four padel courts and six tennis courts, was opened earlier this year.
  • Game4Padel will begin work on three new outdoor padel courts at Withdean Sports Complex, with a canopy, this Autumn.
  • Councillor Alan Robins, Cabinet member for sport, recreation, and libraries, is working with the Lawn Tennis Association on a city-wide padel strategy to bring the sport to more communities across the city.
  • Game4Padel CEO Michael Gradon notes that the padel community in Brighton and Hove is thriving, and the company is exploring changes to their booking process to make it easier and fairer for people to book in advance.

Statistics:

  • 97% average weekly usage of the padel courts at Hove Beach Park since March 2025.
  • 392 hours of court time available per week at the Hove Beach Park padel courts.
  • 36% of padel players in the area report being more active since starting to play.
  • 4 padel courts at Hove Beach Park, opened in December 2024.
  • 3 new outdoor padel courts to be opened at Withdean Sports Complex this Autumn.

Sources:

  • Brighton & Hove City Council news release
  • UK Government news release
  • A survey of padel players in the Brighton & Hove area
  • Game4Padel CEO Michael Gradon
  • Councillor Alan Robins, Cabinet member for sport, recreation, and libraries.