Britain’s fastest growing sport will find a new home at Willen Lake - with six accessible courts and beginner packages costing just £25.

Padel, the popular racket sport that has swept across the nation is coming to Willen Lake, when UK PADEL opens a six-court club on Saturday, October 17.

Everyone is welcome to see the new club in action, as well as giving padel a go with a team of dedicated coaches.

All six courts will also be accessible for adaptive padel, meaning disabled players and wheelchair users can book and play on court at the venue.

Britain’s fastest growing sport will find a new home at Willen Lake - with six accessible courts and beginner packages costing just £25.

placeholder image — Britain’s fastest growing sport will find a new home at Willen Lake - with six accessible courts and beginner packages costing just £25.

UK PADEL Milton Keynes will open with four covered, all-weather courts and two open air courts, so play continues whatever the weather.

It is the company’s fifth club and its fourth in Buckinghamshire, joining Holmer Green, Princes Risborough and Stoke Poges, alongside Newquay in Cornwall.

Milton Keynes is the perfect location for the new club. According to the think tank Centre for Cities, it has the fastest housing growth out of any UK city, adding around 2,200 homes in 2023-24.

Its population grew by 15.5% between 2014 and 2024, joint fastest in the country alongside Exeter. Padel has grown faster still, from around 15,000 British players in 2019 to one million in 2026, according to the sport's governing body, the LTA.

Nick Baker, CEO of UK PADEL, said: "Milton Keynes is a young, fast-growing, sporty city, and Willen Lake is where people already come to be active. Putting six courts here means thousands of people can try padel for the first time, and we've made sure every one of those courts is open to everybody.

“UK PADEL has always been about making padel accessible to all and building a real community at our clubs, and we can't wait to see this one come alive."

For those new to the sport, padel is best described as a cross between tennis and squash. Almost always played as doubles (two against two) but the site will also have two singles courts (one against one), it uses a solid, stringless bat on a court a third the size of a tennis court, surrounded by glass walls that keep the ball in play.

The serve is underarm, rallies are long, and many beginners need little more than an hour’s coaching to enjoy full-scale rallies.

The club's programme is built around that first hour. There will be beginner sessions and social mix-ins every week, improvers' sessions, and coaching available for all levels.

In time, it’s highly likely Milton Keynes will match other UK PADEL venues by selecting U12 and U16 squads, hosting fun monthly tournaments and free player rating sessions. Rackets and balls can be hired, so newcomers can simply turn up.

Robert Wood, Executive Director of Willen Lake further added: "Willen Lake has always been about bringing people together, so we're delighted to welcome UK PADEL and give the people of Milton Keynes even more opportunities to be active and connect with others.

“Whether visitors come specifically to play, or make padel part of a wider day out enjoying the lake and everything the park has to offer, we're excited to see more people discovering Willen Lake, spending time outdoors and making lasting memories here."