Specialist UK leisure and property agency, Shelley Sandzer, has been appointed by Happy Padel, the new urban social sport concept, to secure its debut UK site and support a national expansion plan.
Happy Padel is based on the tennis-like sport, padel. Founded by Jesper Konstantinov, a hospitality entrepreneur from Sweden, Happy Padel has partnered with Barworks to aid its growth within the UK. Shelley Sandzer will work alongside the business to secure a flagship venue in London, with plans to expand rapidly throughout the country.
The sport has had considerable success in the European market, particularly in Spain where Padel is now the second-largest sport, and in Sweden where 3,500-4,000 courts are projected to be in operation in 2022. The sport’s popularity in Sweden has exceeded all expectations, with the same level of growth in just four years as the Spanish market achieved in forty years.
Jesper Konstantinov, founder of Happy Padel, said: “Padel has had huge success in European markets and it is so exciting to be bringing the sport to the UK. Padel is an accessible, fun means of staying healthy and socialising. This makes it appeal to very many different types of consumers and the driver of its success in markets such as Spain and Sweden. With the expertise and energy of Shelley Sandzer, we are looking to make the most of the booming leisure market in the UK with an aggressive expansion plan built from a London flagship.”
Richard Thomas, director of agency at Shelley Sandzer, added: “Happy Padel is not just about launching sports venues; it is a new urban social activity. Competitive socialising has seen huge growth in the UK, and sport and wellness activities are a big part of this, with ‘fun fitness’ now a regular part of people’s social lives.
“Happy Padel stands out because of the team behind it, the speed with which it can be implemented in a destination, and that it is a flexible format that can be accommodated is a wide range of spaces and locations. Shelley Sandzer is known for bringing unique and special concepts to the UK for the first time, and we are excited to be adding Happy Padel to this long list, playing a key role in the brand’s debut and national expansion.”
