I Tested the New Glow Padel in Bradford and Had a Blast
A New Twist on Padel in Bradford
A glow-in-the-dark version of padel has made its debut in the heart of Bradford city centre, offering a vibrant and music-filled experience to one of the UK’s fastest-growing sports. This innovative twist on padel is now available at Salus Padel on Little Horton Lane, marking what is believed to be the first time this concept has been introduced in the North of England.
The sessions involve turning off the regular lights and switching to UV lighting, which transforms the courts with glowing balls, neon nets, and fluorescent court markings. The atmosphere is enhanced by upbeat music, creating an exciting environment for players and spectators alike.
This unique idea was developed by Hyped Events, a company that has been organizing glow-in-the-dark sports events across the UK for over a decade. Their expertise in creating engaging and visually striking experiences has now extended to padel, bringing a new dimension to the sport.
From Glow Sports to Glow Padel
Danny Lewis, one of the organizers behind Glow Padel, explained how the concept evolved from their previous experiences with other glow sports. He shared: “We’ve been running an events company for around five years now and have done glow football, glow dodgeball, glow netball, and lots of other sports.”
Mr. Lewis added: “Padel has absolutely boomed recently, and we realized there was no reason why we couldn’t bring that glow-in-the-dark concept to it as well.”
Padel, a racquet sport similar to tennis but played in doubles on an enclosed court, has seen a significant rise in popularity in the UK over the past year, with new centres opening rapidly.
A Sport Built Around Socialising
One of the key factors contributing to padel's growth is its naturally social nature. Mr. Lewis highlighted: “It’s played in pairs, so you’ve always got four people on the court, which makes it naturally social.”
He continued: “A lot of padel centres have built strong communities, and Glow Padel really adds to that by making it feel more like a party atmosphere.”
Despite being described as "glow-in-the-dark," the sessions are fully playable. UV lighting ensures that the glowing equipment is clearly visible, creating a fun and interactive environment.
“It’s not pitch black,” Mr. Lewis said. “There’s UV lighting across the courts, and we spent a lot of time testing equipment, so everything really pops under the lights. The balls glow, the line markings glow, and players wear fluorescent accessories so you can always see what’s going on.”
Open to All Players
Glow Padel has proven to be popular among both seasoned players and complete newcomers. Mr. Lewis noted: “For people who’ve never played padel before, it can feel less intimidating, it becomes more about having fun than worrying about whether you’re good at the sport.”
The sessions at Salus Padel are open to all abilities and appeal to families, groups of friends, corporate teams, and social players. Glow Padel will be based at Salus Padel throughout April and into early May as part of a trial period, with demand already proving strong.
“We’ve had interest from all over the UK and even across Europe,” Mr. Lewis added. “People are always looking for something different to try with friends or colleagues.”
Glow-in-the-dark balls and fluorescent court markings are used during Glow Padel sessions at the Bradford venue.
Glow Padel sessions at Salus Padel are open to all abilities and appeal to families, groups of friends, corporate teams and social players.
Glow Padel will be based at Salus Padel throughout April and into early May as part of a trial period, with demand already proving strong.
Players take part in a Glow Padel session at Salus Padel in Bradford, where UV lighting and neon equipment transform the court.
