A TENNIS club will launch what is believed to be the only open-to-public padel courts for several miles.

East Dorset Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club in Salterns Road, Poole, has built three brand-new padel courts in its club which has cost them £300,000 with Spanish installers to complete the work. 

While padel courts can be found in the area, project manager, Karen Adams, 57, said the courts will be open to the public which will make them the only courts to do so between Bournemouth and Winchester. 

She said: "We wanted to bring in a new sport to the club that could generate money and enable the club to survive.

"The club has been around for 120 years and hopefully people will join the club as well and want to play tennis but ultimately, there's a proportion who will just want to play padel."

Open to members first on June 22, the public can begin to use the courts on July 1 with construction around the courts ongoing. 

After going Home to see their families, the installers arrived back in Bournemouth on June 17 to continue work.

Plans have taken three-and-a-half years after objections from residents. 

Karen said: "We had horrendous problems from neighbours with one complaining padel sounds like gunshots going off. I had to go to full planning in the end because we had over 20 objections. 

"One said it would be hideous but it's hard to see the courts, they are quite hidden and you've got to expect some noise because people are having fun and they laugh and joke."

Although many padel courts Karen visited had bars and music playing, she said it will be slightly different at the club's courts with a more 'sedate' atmosphere.

However, they are soon to start work on a viewing area with tables and chairs.

She added: "There's so much demand. We're pitching ours at £22 off-peak and £26 at peak times per hour. If you go to Canary Wharf, it's £84 an hour.

"People are desperate to play and there's nothing open to the public. There's two courts at David Lloyd and one at West Hants but there's no public accessibility."