Scarborough Rugby Club announces ambitious plans for heated indoor Padel Tennis and Pickleball Centre

The state-of-the-art development will feature between six and eight double and single padel courts, four to six pickleball courts and a range of ancillary gym, fitness, and refreshment facilities, creating another inclusive and welcoming sporting hub for the community.

The announcement of the ambitious plans come as the club prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in the 2026-27 season.

The centre, which will be located at an undisclosed site in Scarborough, will be priced at community-affordable rates to encourage widespread participation and support healthier lifestyles across the town.

It will also complement the existing outstanding facilities at SRUFC’s main Silver Royd site, expanding the club’s sporting footprint and further enhancing its commitment to accessible community sport.

Pickleball is a paddle sport blending tennis, badminton and ping-pong, played on a badminton-sized court with a modified tennis net, while padel tennis blends elements of tennis and badminton.

The entire operation will be fully managed and run by Scarborough Rugby Club’s existing leadership and management team.

It is being delivered not for profit or commercial gain, but purely for community benefit.

Any surplus generated by the new centre will remain in Scarborough and will be reinvested directly into amateur sport development, with a particular focus on increasing rugby participation in state schools and supporting youth engagement in physical activity.

Reflecting the club’s community-first culture, the Club Chief Executive and all SRUFC Directors are unpaid volunteers, giving their time and expertise purely for the benefit of the club and the wider community.

Graeme Young, Chief Executive of Scarborough Rugby Union Football Club, said: “Scarborough Rugby Club has always placed community and grassroots sport at the heart of everything we do.

"This new Barons Padel and Pickleball centre represents a fantastic opportunity not only to increase access to two of the fastest-growing sports in the UK, but to do so in a way that is affordable and genuinely beneficial to local people.

“We are acutely aware of the growing number of high-priced, profit-driven Padel centres being rolled out elsewhere.

"Our approach is fundamentally different.

"This facility will be for Scarborough, run by a Scarborough club, and reinvesting in Scarborough.

"Every penny of surplus will stay here and help fund amateur sport, youth engagement, and particularly rugby development.

"Our leadership team are unpaid volunteers because we believe passionately in community sport, this project simply strengthens that commitment.”

Scheduled to open in 2026, the new centre reinforces Scarborough Rugby Club’s commitment to innovation and long-term community wellbeing, ensuring the town remains a leading destination for sport, participation and personal development.

Further announcements will follow in due course, including full details on pricing, programmes, location, and opening timeline.