Plymouth is set to welcome a state-of-the-art esports facility, providing cutting-edge gaming, education and career development opportunities in the rapidly growing video gaming and esports industry.

Located within The Hub at Foulston Park, the pioneering Babcock Esports Arena will be one of a kind in the city and one of the most advanced in the country. Gamers will have access to a suite of 20 high-spec gaming stations equipped with the latest technology following its official opening on Monday, March 17.

The facility has been developed with the support of leading industry experts and will offer a unique opportunity for young people to enjoy pay-and-play recreational gaming; gain qualifications and essential digital skills; and even pursue pathways to international and Olympic-level esports competition.

Developed and operated by Argyle Community Trust, The Hub marks the first phase of Plymouth Argyle’s multi-million-pound redevelopment of the former Brickfields Sports Centre. Foulston Park is a major investment in sporting excellence and community wellbeing, delivered through a partnership of Plymouth Argyle, Argyle Community Trust, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Albion RFC, and Devonport Community Leisure Limited (DCLL).

As part of Plymouth’s network of nine Wellbeing Hubs, The Hub at Foulston Park will be a friendly, safe, and welcoming space for all, offering a range of health and wellbeing opportunities, including state-of-the-art gym, physical activity programmes, mental health support, youth and veterans’ programmes, and life skills training.

A key focus of The Hub is catering to the needs of young people and supporting parents, including through:

  • A soft play zone with a toddler area, a three-storey junior play frame and a mini penalty shootout area.
  • Providing a fun venue for parties, including opportunities to theme these around sports, esports or the soft play facilities depending on age and interests.
  • A dedicated youth zone providing a safe and engaging environment.

The esports facility will play an important educational role as well as being a focal point for local gamers and gaming teams. It will support British Esports-approved BTEC qualifications in esports, which feature a wide-ranging curriculum covering areas such as leadership, business and enterprise, digital media, sport psychology, nutrition and wellbeing.

The programme, in partnership with City College Plymouth, aims to equip students with a broad range of transferable skills as a well as providing a potential pathway into the gaming industry and higher education, with more than 60 esports-related university and higher education programmes available across the UK.

Mark Lovell, Chief Executive Officer at Argyle Community Trust, said: “The esports facility at The Hub represents a major step forward in our mission to provide innovative, engaging, and inclusive opportunities for young people in Plymouth. Esports is more than just gaming – it is about education, teamwork, career development and social connection. We are proud to be delivering a facility that will inspire and empower young people, helping them build skills for the future and access exciting new career pathways.”

The multi-billion-pound UK gaming industry has grown to now generate more revenue than the film and music industries combined and esports viewership now surpasses many traditional sports. This facility aims to inspire the next generation of esports enthusiasts, whether as amateur or professional players, content creators or future industry leaders.

The development of the esports facility has been supported by industry consultants Strategic Esports Group and Yoyotech, which has supplied and sponsored the high-performance gaming equipment. The fitout of the facility was supported by Babcock.

Kalam Neale, Head of Education, British Esports Federation, said: “It’s amazing to see the continued growth of esports in education through the introduction of new programmes and facilities like these. We hope this will be the start of an exciting journey for students, exposing them to a range of future career opportunities in a growing industry which they are incredibly passionate about.

“Esports programmes such as the BTEC National Qualifications in Esports and the Leadership Skills Qualifications support young people to develop a range transferrable employability skills through esports as well as develop a knowledge base through the wider academic links being studied which support their understanding of, and progression into, the business, media, sport, games, and wider STEM related industries.

“I’m excited to see the development and progression of students towards their future careers. It will be an exciting challenge, and a unique opportunity for students to grow, reflect, learn and develop, and for some, the start of their journey to becoming tomorrow’s esports industry ambassadors, entrepreneurs and leaders.”

George Sutcliffe, Director, Strategic Esports Group, said: “It has been a real pleasure to work with the team at Argyle Community Trust to support the realisation of their new esports project. Strategic Esports Group has supported through a three-phased approach which consisted of developing a strategic business case including engagement with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, facility development support and post-build assistance. We look forward to seeing the facility in use and can’t wait to see the success stories that emerge.”

The Hub Open Weekend:

The community is invited to explore The Hub first-hand during a special Open Weekend on 15-16 March 2025, from 10.00am – 4.00pm, Saturday and 10.00am – 2.00pm Sunday.

Visitors can:

  • Tour the new facilities including the Babcock Esports Arena
  • Take part in taster sessions
  • Access the Café area
  • Learn more about The Hub’s health, fitness and wellbeing programmes
  • Access special introductory offers for the new gym.