Newspaper headquarters to become padel courts

A former newspaper printing works will be converted into new padel courts.

City of Wolverhampton Council has approved plans to turn the former Express and Star printing works in Tower Street, Wolverhampton, into the new seven-court Wolves Padel Centre.

The ground floor and former printing room of the city’s historic Express and Star offices, which staff left in 2023 after more than 140 years, would be converted into three doubles courts and two singles courts for the racquet sport that combines elements of tennis and squash

The newspaper’s former mailroom would be converted into another doubles court according to the application submitted to City of Wolverhampton Council.

The proposed opening hours are 6am to midnight daily.

The local authority’s planners said in a report: “The proposal represents an appropriate and sustainable re-use of a large redundant building within Wolverhampton city centre.

“The scheme takes a minimal intervention approach, retaining the existing structure and character of the building whilst introducing a leisure use that is well suited to the building’s scale, clear spans and double-height volumes.

“The development would secure the long-term viable use of the premises and contribute positively to the vitality and viability of the city centre.

“The development would introduce a viable long-term use without causing harm to the adjacent conservation area or the significance of the building, whilst providing public benefits through investment, employment opportunities and improved sports provision.”

A move to open a climbing centre in a newspaper’s former press room was approved by the council in 2025.

Plans to convert other parts of the former newspaper headquarters into flats were also backed by council planners last year.

A statement included with the application said: “The proposal converts a redundant, purpose-built newspaper press hall in Wolverhampton city centre into a seven-court indoor padel centre.

“It is a change of use accommodated wholly within the existing building, requiring no demolition, no extension and no alteration to the external fabric other than the replacement of an existing fascia sign in its existing position.

“The scheme is a rational and efficient response to the building it occupies.

“The very characteristics that make the former press hall difficult to re-let for industrial or storage purposes — its scale, its clear spans and its double-height volumes — are exactly what an indoor racket sport requires.”

By Christian Barnett | Local Democracy Reporting Service