Padel is coming to Culcheth
If you have not played padel yet, you have almost certainly heard of it. It has gone from something people encountered on holiday in Spain to one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and now it is arriving on our doorstep.
What Is Happening Locally
Newton-le-Willows already has courts open. VIP Padel launched in Newton-le-Willows, with state-of-the-art courts sourced from Spain. You can book through Playtomic right now.
Closer to home, work is under way at Culcheth Sports Club, also known as The Daten, on Charnock Road. Three covered courts are being built as part of a wider development that will expand the existing tennis, pickleball and fitness facilities at the site. The courts will be playable year-round, and the aim is to develop the whole venue into a genuine community sport and wellness hub.
Why Padel Has Taken Off
The numbers are hard to argue with. According to LTA figures, 860,000 Britons played padel at least once in 2025, up from 400,000 the year before and just 129,000 in 2023. By the end of 2025 there were 1,553 courts across 559 venues in the UK, compared to just 69 courts in 2020 when the LTA assumed governance of the sport.
Part of the reason it has spread so quickly is that it is genuinely easy to pick up. The court is roughly a third of the size of a tennis court. It is played in doubles, enclosed by glass walls that keep the ball in play. You do not need any prior racket sports experience to enjoy a game within your first hour. Families play it together. People in their sixties play alongside teenagers. It is not that common to find a sport that actually works across generations, but padel comes close.
Andy Murray has been vocal about the sport's appeal, noting that a court costs around £28 for four people, making it competitive with a trip to the driving range or the cinema. Murray has put his money where his mouth is too, investing in Game4Padel, the same operator behind the Grappenhall courts. Wimbledon may still dominate the British summer, but the sport pulling people off sofas and onto courts right now is not tennis.
What It Means for Culcheth and the WA3 Area
A covered padel facility at The Daten will be a genuine addition to the village. It gives residents something new without needing to travel into Warrington or beyond, and it reinforces Culcheth Sports Club as a hub for the whole community.
For families considering a move to this part of Warrington, that kind of local amenity is worth noting. Schools, green space, transport links and a strong sense of community are the things people most often talk about when they explain why they chose Culcheth or why they have stayed. A sport the whole family can play, five minutes from home, fits that picture well.
