Padel courts and a fitness venue could fill Black Rock for up to five years

A padel, fitness and food venue could open at Black Rock, the empty seafront site by Brighton Marina, on a lease of up to five years. Council officers have recommended the bid as the site’s “meanwhile use”, and the cabinet decides on Thursday 15 October.

The report was first covered by the Brighton Times. It describes the winning bid as “a temporary active leisure, sport and wellbeing destination incorporating padel, fitness, food and beverage facilities and mental health programming”. The operator would pay a fixed annual rent, and the council would put in no capital.

The catch is that we don’t know who the operator is. The public report calls it Bidder 1. Its name, the rent and the scores sit in a confidential part of the report, to protect the council’s position while it negotiates.

Four bids came in. They were scored on the operator’s plan and track record (40%), local economic impact (20%) and rent (40%). Bidder 1 came top and offered “the highest guaranteed rental income”. The reserve is Bidder 2, which proposed a public beach hub with community facilities, food and drink and event space. Officers said it had strong operator experience but “a lower and less certain financial return”.

Any lease would have break clauses, and the operator would have to take everything away at the end and hand the site back at its own cost, unless the council agrees otherwise. Before the lease is signed, officers want measurable social value commitments, including affordable or free access where achievable, local jobs and training. Neighbouring communities, including Whitehawk and East Brighton, are to be consulted early. The venue would still need planning permission and licences.

Don’t expect it soon. The report says rent is unlikely to come in during 2026/27 because of when the agreement is likely to be signed.

The padel courts are meant to fill a gap. In the long run the council wants a cultural destination at Black Rock, possibly including a major visual arts gallery, and officers have started talking to gallery operators and possible funders. The report says the form, scale and funding of any permanent cultural offer are still subject to feasibility work. We covered the run-up to the meeting on Tuesday.