Throughout the prosperous suburbs and elegant towns and cities of England, the echoes of “gunfire” — or the anxiety it brings — have been resonating in recent months. From Bath to Weybridge, and Winchester to Lytham St Annes, a sort of urban skirmish has erupted, as sought-after neighborhoods strive to defend themselves from what they perceive as an alarming new disruption to their tranquility: the rising popularity of padel.
“When top players are active, I can only liken it to a bullet zipping past you,” remarks Nick Christou, whose residence is just a short distance from two padel courts at Hazelwood sports club in Enfield, north London.
Originating from Mexico in 1969, padel has been characterized as the world’s rapidly expanding sport. It combines elements of tennis and squash, played within a court enclosed by mesh and glass, utilizing rackets reminiscent of oversized table tennis paddles — tools that, according to some sensitive ears, create an unbearable racket.
Six years ago, the Lawn Tennis Association assumed control of the sport and initiated a strategy to “weave padel into the landscape of tennis in Britain.” In the wake of the lockdown, as individuals sought fresh outdoor activities, padel’s novelty and its adaptability for all levels of players greatly contributed to its surge in popularity.
As recently as 2011, there was only a single padel court in the entire UK. By last year, that number had risen to 450, with additional courts on the way, though not without facing some local opposition.
Take the Landsdown tennis club in Bath, for instance, where a proposal to convert a tennis court into two padel courts was rejected last year following objections from nearby residents. They argued that, unlike the familiar thwack of a tennis ball, the sound generated by padel’s stringless paddles is “unbearable” and reminiscent of “gunfire.”
Plans to construct three padel courts at St George’s Hill lawn tennis club near Weybridge in Surrey were also abandoned last month due to protests from locals concerned about the anticipated noise. Consequently, the club has decided to construct the courts in an indoor facility designed to minimize sound disturbances.
Graham Taaffe, who operates Padel Tennis London, established his first court at Hazelwood a decade ago at the tennis club from which he leases the land. Initially, bookings increased gradually until he opened a second court in 2021 — at which point the complaints began.
“It all started with one individual,” he explains. “The council granted us planning permission, fully aware of what to expect from the first court. Enfield is eager to enhance public health and combat obesity, yet now it’s threatening to shut down the padel.”
That individual — Christou — claims that, overall, he supports sporting activities. “We’ve resided here for 30 years, and tennis has never caused an issue,” adds his wife, Janet. The couple notes that it was after the lockdown that padel courts became overwhelmingly busy. “Now, we can hardly enjoy our garden,” Christou remarks.
In response to the complaints, Enfield council issued a noise abatement notice, which was lifted after Taaffe proposed to install a sound barrier. When that measure was found to be ineffective, the notice was reinstated.
To ease Christou’s concerns, Taaffe consulted an expert from Enfield council regarding the necessary sound reduction to meet acceptable decibel levels. “He replied, ‘Oh no, there’s no official level. It’s based on our subjective judgment whether it constitutes a noise nuisance.’ So, it’s completely subjective,” Taaffe recounts.
Christou notes that three different experts have measured the noise levels, all concluding that it is excessively loud.
While Taaffe admits that padel is indeed noisier than tennis, he argues that the core issue involves the sound associated with a sporting event emanating from a sports facility. “If you live next to a train track, you’re going to hear trains,” he states. The conflict is now heading to a different type of court — an appeals tribunal — in April, where Taaffe intends to have the notice rescinded. Should he be unsuccessful, it may signal the end of padel in Enfield.
A few miles south in Hampstead Garden Suburb, within north London, lies Northway lawn tennis club. It is tucked away in a lovely corner of parkland intersected by a small creek. This club features four aging courts and a quaint wooden pavilion, where recently a group of women in their seventies concluded a game of doubles.
“We’ve been playing here forever,” one member commented, opting to remain anonymous. They expressed dismay at the club’s initiative to gain council approval to transform into a padel club. “We don’t want padel here,” another member asserted. “It’s too noisy, and the panels will obstruct the view of the willows.”
Yet, they all appeared to agree that the club has seen better days. They reminisced about the golden era under the management of Angela Buxton, the 1956 Wimbledon ladies doubles champion. Membership has dwindled over the years, leaving five immaculate tennis courts on the opposite side of the creek, established by the local council.
Vince Ranson, who oversees Northway, concedes that he struggles to compete with these pristine courts. He views padel as a potential lifeline. “It would benefit the community,” he states. A nearby young couple who rent a home adjacent to the club suggest that anyone desiring to play could simply drive a short distance to the padel courts at Brent Cross, a considerable urban expanse where the M1 and the North Circular collide.
A few doors down, Steve Leapman shares a similar sentiment. “I’ve experienced padel noise. It’s a loud, really loud sound,” he remarks. “I’m concerned it will impact the local wildlife.”
As the sport continues to flourish, many tennis clubs may feel inclined to convert underutilized courts into glass-enclosed spaces. For some, it may even become a question of survival. The emergence of this new sport could either blend into the contemporary soundscape — existing somewhere alongside leaf blowers and police sirens — or find itself confined to locations with suitable acoustics, like firing ranges.
However, if the growing legion of protesters has their way, Northway won’t be the only club stuck in a dilemma without padel.
The post New Sport Sparks Sound Showdown: Padel Tennis Faces Backlash from Affluent English Communities first appeared on London.
Author : London News
Publish date : 2025-02-23 15:42:09
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.