Padel, the hugely sociable racket sport that has swept across Britain in the past few years, gets a new home in Milton Keynes on Saturday 17 October, when UK PADEL opens a six-court club at Willen Lake. The club will be open to everyone to come and see the new club in action as well as giving padel a go with our dedicated coaches.
The timing is no accident. According to the think tank Centre for Cities, Milton Keynes added around 2,200 homes in 2023-24, the fastest housing growth of any UK city. 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.
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 UK PADEL’s fifth club and its fourth in Buckinghamshire, joining Holmer Green, Princes Risborough and Stoke Poges, alongside Newquay in Cornwall.
For anyone who has never played, 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.
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.
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.”
Andrew Kirby, General Manager of Destination Milton Keynes added:
“With both the leisure and business tourism sectors thriving across Milton Keynes and with padel seeing such huge growth as a sport across the UK, we’re so excited for the arrival of UK PADEL at Willen Lake. The city has a vibrant, active community with a strong appetite for new experiences, so we’re expecting this new, six-court venue to become a key part of the city’s sporting and social scene, putting Milton Keynes firmly on the map as a padel hotspot.”
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.”
UK PADEL is grateful to Applewood, The Padel Lab and Lauralu their work involved with the opening of its new Milton Keynes Club to high such a quality level, from the groundwork, court building and canopy covers, enabling the community to be able to play all year round.
The club’s arrival is being keenly followed by UK PADEL ambassador and content creator Faye Cornhill, a working mum of two. Faye is sharing her journey from complete beginner to Milton Keynes club regular on Instagram.
