Bath Rejects Padel Courts Amid Resident Uproar Over 'Gunfire' Noise

As of November 16th, 2025, the city of Bath, UK, has firmly rejected plans to build new padel courts, much to the delight of local residents. Padel, a fast-growing racquet sport founded in Mexico in 1969, has been gaining popularity across Britain, with councils inundated with applications to construct new courts. However, Bath has bucked the trend, with the planning committee citing concerns over the "gunfire-like" noise the sport would generate.

Locals, such as 77-year-old Melvyn Caldwell, have vehemently opposed the proposed courts, describing the sound of padel as akin to "Chinese water torture" and even worse than a "firefight." One resident, a woman who had previously fled Spain due to the noise from a neighboring padel court, threatened to leave Bath if the plans were approved. The planning inspector ultimately agreed with the council's decision, stating that the sport's "noisier volleys and faster cadence of ball impact" would be too disruptive for nearby homeowners.

Despite the disappointment of padel enthusiasts, including Spaniard Daniel Cano, who had been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to play the sport in his new hometown, the council has remained firm in its stance. A revised application for the sports complex, sans padel courts, is currently under consideration. While local councilor Steve Hedges believes a compromise solution may still be found, the future of padel in Bath remains uncertain as of November 16th, 2025.