Padel Nova: former food warehouse in Westlea becomes indoor padel club

Part of a food warehouse on Rivermead Drive in Westlea, West Swindon, has been turned into Padel Nova, an independently run indoor padel club owned by local businessmen. Swindon South MP Heidi Alexander visited during the week and tried the courts, Swindon24 reported on Friday 28 August 2026.

What is there?

• Three indoor panoramic padel courts, which the club says are wheelchair accessible
• A café and bar, heated social areas and space to work
• Pool, darts and table tennis
• Changing facilities and a viewing area
• Membership or pay-and-play, with coaching and social sessions that match up individual players

The report does not give prices.

How did it come about?

The space was previously used by N&B Foods. Owner Nilesh Chavda said spare warehouse space prompted the idea. He said: "I think the biggest thing for us is community. We're local, we're from Swindon."

Business owner Chris Pomphrey said: "I wanted to open a padel club as at the time there was not another padel facility in Swindon." He said most padel players are men aged 40 to 60 and the club wants to encourage juniors, women and newcomers.

Padel is usually played as doubles on an enclosed court smaller than a tennis court. Lawn Tennis Association figures quoted in the report put the number of players at more than one million in 2026, up from 15,000 in 2019.

Ms Alexander said: "It used to be an old warehouse, and you walk in and it just is fantastic here."

Source: Swindon24.