News

Major new leisure venue planned for Cardiff with opening date revealed

22 Oct 2026 4 minute read

Amelia Jones

A huge new indoor sports venue is planned for Cardiff with an 2027 opening date.

The team behind Cardiff’s DEPOT has unveiled plans for DEPOT Padel, a new 25,000 sq ft indoor padel club directly behind its existing live music and events venue – with a planned opening in spring 2027.

Located just off Dumballs Road, the development plans feature four doubles courts and two singles courts, alongside changing facilities, a dedicated warm-up area and spaces to meet and socialise.

The project marks a new chapter for the independent Cardiff business, extending the DEPOT brand into sport, and forming part of a wider ambition to develop the surrounding site into a multi-use destination combining live music, leisure, hospitality and social activity.

A new way to play

Designed to welcome newcomers and experienced players alike, DEPOT Padel will combine indoor courts with a relaxed social setting, giving visitors somewhere to spend time before and after a game. Plans include a warm-up area with exercise bikes and mats, spectator seating, and a bookable meeting room for businesses looking to combine time on the court with team meetings or corporate events.

A coffee offer is also planned, with further food and drink details to be announced in due course.

Studio Severn created the designs for the space, which retain the building’s industrial character by combining exposed brickwork, steel roof structures and raw materials.

Studio Severn Founder and Designer Sophie Martinez said: “There is plenty of character already in this space, so our design scheme complements this with bold orange courts, occasional planting and contemporary lighting. Informal seating areas alongside the courts will make watching and socialising part of the DEPOT Padel experience.”

The announcement comes as participation in padel continues to grow across Britain. In May 2026, the Lawn Tennis Association reported that the sport had reached one million adult and junior players nationwide[1].

Building a legacy

For DEPOT founder Nick Saunders, the development forms part of a longer-term ambition to establish a lasting home for the business and bring complementary uses to the area around its Curran Road venue.

Since launching in 2015, DEPOT has moved three times and evolved from a home for street food and experimental events into a 2,100-capacity live music venue, hosting major touring artists, club nights and large-scale productions. DEPOT Padel will build on the experience of creating places where people come together, introducing a new reason to visit the site throughout the week.

Nick Saunders, founder of DEPOT, said: “We want to create somewhere close to the buzz of the city centre, where people can enjoy a great game, meet friends and spend a bit of time – but also somewhere with the atmosphere and character people already associate with DEPOT.

“The indoor courts are at the heart of it, but we’ve thought about the whole experience, from warming up, to having a coffee and a catch up afterwards – or bringing your colleagues or clients down for a meeting and a game.

“We’re also thinking about what the next ten years look like here. Our ambition is to build a legacy around DEPOT, with music, sport, food and social spaces giving people different reasons to visit – and even somewhere for our touring artists to warm up before a gig! DEPOT Padel is an exciting step towards that.”

Founder and Managing Director of KEW Planning, Kathryn Williams, said: “We are delighted to be supporting DEPOT in bringing forward this exciting proposal, which will introduce a new sporting and leisure opportunity to Cardiff. With padel continuing to grow in popularity, we look forward to working with the project team and the Council through the planning process to help deliver this fantastic addition to the city in Spring 2027.”

DEPOT Padel is scheduled to open in spring 2027. For further details, including the opening date, court bookings and launch offers, sign up to the newsletter here and follow their social media here.

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