Padel courts to open THIS WEEKEND in rural Northamptonshire location offering fresh air to players as farm takes on ‘exciting new venture’
A farm in a rural Northamptonshire location will open padel courts this weekend, with the added bonus of offering fresh air to players.
Overstone Grange Farm, which is well known for its yearly maize maze, pick-your-own sunflowers and pumpkin patch, is extending its business with this “exciting new venture”, which the owner hopes will bring in “year-round income”.
The farm off the A43 between the Overstone Gate development and Holcot Lane has two padel courts ready to go and has already seen a positive reaction on social media.
Tom Harris, owner of Overstone Grange, said: “This has been two years in the making. We started on site late August/early September, but we are three months behind where we should be because the weather has been so wet.
“Everything we do here is seasonal and the weather extremes really have an impact on us. We couldn’t open the maize maze because it was so dry last year, but this [padel] offers us year round income.
“Energy prices have had a real impact on us and food prices for us are going down or staying the same. The cost pressures mean we need a lot of opportunities for additional income.”
The two courts, which officially open on Saturday April 18, will be open from 6am to 10pm, seven days a week. The courts are in a shed-like building, which has a roof, but is also partly open to allow fresh air to flow.
Tom hopes the “nice rural setting” and the fresh air will set them apart from other padel courts, which are often found in enclosed warehouses.
“We released the opening a few days ago and Saturday is filling up pretty nicely,” Tom added.
“We’ve had great feedback across social media so we are hoping it will be a good venture for us.”
Tom also says they are working on plans to extend the offering in the future, with hopes to introduce a coffee and farm shop, as well as the possibility of a sauna.
The other offerings from the farm, including the pumpkin patch and maize maze, will continue alongside the padel venture.
Padel courts at Overstone Grange can be booked now on the Playtomic app.