Argento and Let’s Go Hydro founder Pete Boyle has announces a £3m investment in a Padel venture, with the aim of opening 50 courts by the end of the year.
Mr Boyle said he had already identified sites for the sport, a cross between tennis and squash, in Belfast, Derry, Coleraine and Omagh.
And he hopes to build Northern Ireland’s first professional arena for Padel, a relatively new sporting import in the UK and Ireland.
There are already three Padel courts operating at watersports activity centre Let’s Go Hydro in Carryduff, with plans for 10 more at the site.
Let’s Go Padel aims to become the largest Padel brand in Northern Ireland with 50 courts across eight sites.
It’s now seeking planning permission for courts in east Belfast and Derry, as well as scoping out disused courts and other facilities around Northern Ireland
With around 30 million players worldwide, Padel is considered to be the fastest growing racquet sport in the world.
Mr Boyle said: “Padel is a billion dollar industry and we’re keen to bring it to Northern Ireland at scale over the coming months. Our current courts book out fast, as the sport has grown in popularity and we can see the potential in it.
“Let’s Go Padel follows on the back of the success of Let’s Go Hydro and we are actively looking for opportunities to breathe life into disused tennis courts around Northern Ireland, and other suitable leisure facilities.”
Mr Boyle built Argento into a successful high street jewellery brand, with its roots in the stalls which he operated on streets and beaches from Belfast to Rossnowlagh in the 1990s.
There are 18 Argento stores in Northern Ireland, along with two in the Republic and four in Great Britain. Mr Boyle opened Let’s Go Hydro in 2018.
News Catch Up – Friday 14th March