Key Takeaways
- Slazenger Padel has launched a 35,000 sq ft venue at Haven Banks Retail Park in Exeter, featuring nine indoor panoramic padel courts and two pickleball courts.
- A company spokesperson highlighted the expansion, stating: “The opening of Slazenger Exeter is an important milestone as we continue our mission to become the UK’s go-to padel provider.”
- Owner Frasers Group is targeting around 150 courts nationwide, backed by LTA figures confirming British padel participation has surpassed 1 million players.
Frasers Group expands racquet sports portfolio with Exeter launch
Frasers Group has continued the nationwide rollout of its sports participation division with the launch of its fourth Slazenger Padel club, located at Haven Banks Retail Park in Exeter. The development marks another key step in the group’s wider commercial strategy to reposition and scale its heritage sporting brands alongside Everlast.
Covering 35,000 square feet, the new Exeter venue features nine indoor panoramic padel courts alongside two pickleball courts, continuing a dual-sport approach first introduced at the company’s Blackburn location. The multi-purpose hub also includes coaching services, dedicated social spaces, equipment hire, a pro shop, and a members’ bar and café created to encourage visitors to remain on site beyond their match times.
“The opening of Slazenger Exeter is an important milestone as we continue our mission to become the UK’s go-to padel provider,” stated a Slazenger Padel spokesperson. “Partnerships with localised facilities like Haven Banks are central to that ambition, allowing us to work with established community destinations to make padel more accessible.”
The spokesperson added: “By combining Slazenger’s expertise in racquet sports with Haven Banks’ strong community roots, we have created a multi-purpose destination that gives more people the opportunity to discover and enjoy the sport.”
National rollout targets 150 courts
The Exeter opening follows previous Slazenger Padel developments across the UK, with the operator working towards an overall estate target of around 150 courts.
| Club location | Status | Key features |
|---|---|---|
| Leeds | Open | Initial club opening |
| Swindon | Open | Padel club expansion |
| Blackburn | Open | First venue to introduce pickleball |
| Exeter | Open | 35,000 sq ft, 9 padel courts, 2 pickleball courts, bar and café |
| Aberdeen | In planning | Proposed 11 padel courts with Everlast, Centr and Hyrox fitness space |
Speaking earlier in 2026, Everlast Gyms managing director Dan Summerson highlighted the momentum behind combining fitness operations with racquet sports, noting plans for 10 additional Slazenger Padel venues during the year. “We’ll be looking at opening a site that includes gym and padel together – we see a lot of potential in this area,” Summerson explained.
That cross-sector model is already progressing through the planning stages in Aberdeen, where Frasers has submitted proposals to convert a former Ikea unit into an 11-court padel centre featuring fitness spaces branded with Everlast, Centr, and Hyrox. The proposal has met opposition from neighbouring operator PureGym, which requested planners limit the gym facilities strictly to padel players.
Frasers Group reported positive membership growth across both Everlast Gyms and Slazenger Padel in its 2026 annual report. Further pipeline sites planned across the country include Cardiff, Mansfield, Hull, Liverpool, Newport, York, Gillingham, and a second facility in Leeds.
The rapid expansion comes amid historic participation figures published by the LTA, which confirmed that the number of active padel players in Britain has exceeded 1 million, rising from 860,000 at the close of 2025 and just 15,000 in 2019, supported by a network of approximately 1,825 courts across 551 venues.
