Oxford padel business secures £1.25m to expand in UK

Smash Padel, which operates five venues including in Oxford and Bicester, plans to grow to 20 sites across the UK following a funding round led by Middleton Enterprises, an investment firm founded by entrepreneur Jeremy Middleton.

The expansion will include the launch of new centres in underserved communities with three more locations expected to open before the end of the year.

Smash Padel is responsible for half of the British current junior national squad.

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Smash Padel (Image: Smash Padel)

Julian Liban, investment manager at Middleton Enterprises, said: “We took the time to assess and understand the full landscape of UK padel operators before committing capital.

“What sets Smash Padel apart is their rigorous approach to site selection – they are not simply opening doors wherever they can find space.

“They have a community model that genuinely grows the sport rather than just monetising existing players, and this will provide defensibility as more competition enters the market.”

Smash Padel’s existing venues are in Oxford, Bicester, Whitstable, Mid Sussex, and Cardiff, with a Taunton site scheduled to open in summer 2026.

Padel tennis is the fastest growing sport in the world right now, with recent figures from the Lawn Tennis Association showing more than 400,000 people were playing the sport in the UK last year.

Smash Padel (Image: Smash Padel)

The company plans to expand to 20 locations nationwide.

The company’s junior performance programme has produced 50 per cent of Great Britain’s current junior national squad.

Simon Champ, co-founder of Smash Padel, said: “Middleton Enterprises has a proven track record of supporting businesses like ours as we scale and expand into new locations.

“They bring more than just funding – they have deep expertise in physical site roll-outs from across their portfolio, and they have acted as a true strategic partner throughout this process.

“We’re excited to build on what we’ve started and to take the sport to more communities across the UK.”

Smash Padel was founded by Mr Champ and is led by CEO Rupert Taylor.

Smash Padel (Image: Smash Padel)

The company’s venues differ from self-service padel courts, instead operating as staffed, coaching-led facilities aimed at building long-term engagement and community involvement.

The firm’s current portfolio includes OneGym, a fast-growing regional gym chain, and SushiDog, a London-based quick service restaurant brand.

Mr Liban said Smash Padel offers “the clearest strategy and, in our view, the strongest platform for long-term success.”

He said: “This is a business with real sporting credentials run by deeply experienced operators, and we are proud to back them.”

Middleton Enterprises specialises in backing early-stage businesses generating between £250,000 and £1 million EBITDA, with particular expertise in physical site roll-outs.