The first ever indoor football arena in the UK dedicated to the international sport of “Futsal” has been built and fitted out by Swindon-based joinery and construction company, Edmont.
Edmont, which also built and fitted out one of the largest duty free shops in the world at Heathrow’s Terminal 5, was appointed to build the project by@Futsal Ltd, the first company in the UK to provide a national network of indoor 5-aside football arenas. The first arena, built on Bramble Road in Swindon, was opened on 24 January and plans are well advanced to develop the next two sites elsewhere across the UK.
Whilst not currently familiar in the UK, Futsal is five-aside football played in countries across the world since the 1930s and now recognised by FIFA and UEFA and the UK’s Football Association (FA). Internationally-renowned footballers such as Denilson, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos from Brazil all grew up playing Futsal and in 1989 the first Futsal World Championship was held in the Netherlands.
Craig Morton, deputy managing director at Edmont, said: “This was a fantastic project for our team. The entire scheme took us just 12 weeks to complete, from taking over the empty warehouse on Bramble Road at Techno Trading Estate in Swindon to designing, building and fitting out the arena, cafe area, changing rooms and public areas. The game of Futsal may not be currently be well-known, but I can see the sport taking off quickly once the UK has a series of dedicated Futsal arenas.”
@futsal was founded by managing director Frank Rodriguez, who was voted 2005 national emerging entrepreneur of the year. Frank is a national UK Futsal coach and determined to build the sport up from the grass roots.
Mr Rodriguez said: “We had a very tight schedule to work to, but Edmont have built not only an arena that I’m very proud of, but they’ve done it to the highest quality and with great attention to detail. This is essential because wherever people go they demand excellent facilities and attractive surroundings. Edmont have delivered, and now we’re looking forward to bringing a brand new sport to Swindon.”
