Spotify founder to make padel big in the UK: ”Biggest club”

Padel will now take over the UK. The company behind the initiative is Padium, where Spotify founder Martin Lorentzon and entrepreneur Houman Ashafzadeh are involved.
The pair have worked together in other companies, but now the idea is to showcase the sport to Londoners.

During the pandemic, interest in padel exploded, and thousands of new courts opened. Now, growth has declined. But the situation in the UK is different and is attracting a bunch of investors to help the sport take off in the region.

Houman Ashrafzadeh, the entrepreneur behind the Urban Green restaurant chain in London, is opening what he describes as London's largest and most exclusive padel club, Padium. Helping him is Martin Lorentzon, co-founder of Spotify.

"Create the biggest club in the UK."

In an interview with Swedish Breakit, Houman Ashrafzadeh tells us more about the venture:

— I grew up in Helsingborg (Sweden) but have lived in London for a long time. I followed the padel boom in Sweden and every time I went back we played with friends and family. Back here there were only 4-5 courts in central London, they were outdoors, and the quality was poor - but still fully booked. So it was challenging to play.

He continues:

— We want to grow to create the biggest club in the UK. There are about 230 courts here, in a population much larger than Sweden. We see a huge opportunity to grow here, and along with Germany and the US, the UK is the market where padel has the greatest chance to grow.

The new club is called Padium and is located in the financial district of Canary Wharf. The club is expected to open this summer and will have seven padel courts and a shop.