Pickleball aces set to make a racket in Farnham with £2.5m new sports hub
Ambitious plans for THE HOPP pickleball and padel club given the green light by Waverley councillors
A Surrey town is set to become the home of Europe’s biggest indoor pickleball and padel club under a £2.5-million transformation of a disused warehouse.
Ambitious plans for a new base in Farnham for the fastest-growing sports gained momentum following local authority backing for proposals to transform a 57,600-ft² warehouse.
THE HOPP – The Hub of Pickleball and Padel – will soon start taking shape with the creation of more than 25 jobs after Waverley Borough Council granted the project planning permission.
Based on the Farnham Trading Estate, Hurlands Close, THE HOPP will breathe new life into the former warehouse with 10 indoor pickleball courts and four padel courts when it opens its doors in mid-2025.
With planning permission now in place, Sally and Andre will focus on transforming a building that has stood vacant for the last two years and they aim to create a variety of full-time and part-time jobs.
As well as the pickleball and padel courts, THE HOPP will feature luxury social spaces, changing and catering facilities along with a club shop and expert coaching. There will be 176 parking spaces and 18 spots for bicycles.
Local authority approval is the second cause for celebration for entrepreneurs Sally Grace and Andre Strachan who are driving forward THE HOPP as the pioneering pair won the Skechers Pickleball English Open mixed doubles gold medal.
Sally, who lives in Chawton, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that THE HOPP has been given the go-ahead because it means Farnham will soon play host to Europe’s biggest indoor pickleball and padel club
“THE HOPP was born out of our passion for pickleball which is a sporting phenomenon that’s taking over the world and quickly growing in popularity across the South of England.
“And we’re keen to give people across our community the opportunity to experience a fun, accessible and addictive sport which we know is great for all ages and abilities.
“We’ve already been overwhelmed by the positive public reaction to our plans and we’re excited by the prospect of turning our vision into an exciting reality in Farnham.”
Pickleball, which is being championed by tennis legend Andre Agassi, is a low-impact game for two to four players, combining elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis on a badminton-sized court.
Padel, a mixture of tennis, squash and badminton, is played as a doubles game on an enclosed court, a third of the size of a tennis court enclosed by walls.
But while both sports are growing in popularity, there remains a very limited number of places to play to meet the rising demand of both sports, a trend which prompted Sally and Andre to team up off the pickleball court.
Andre, who lives in Aldershot, revealed the “project cost is around £2.5 million”, adding: “There’s a new craze for both padel and pickleball and we can’t wait to open up THE HOPP’s doors to new players.
“THE HOPP will be a fantastic family-friendly place for people of all ages with comfortable surroundings to socialise with friends after a game of pickleball or padel.
