Watch: First of its kind football tech arena opens in Sussex - and it's the perfect summer holiday activity

But Ballpark at Brighton Marina is equally enjoyable for adults too – and the high-tech facilities could give Premier League pros a run for their money.

Aaron Stevens, founder of Ballpark, explained: “My wife and I are proud to have launched a centre where you can not only train, but also improve your football game.

“Having grown up in Brighton, I have the huge passion for football while my wife has a background in SEN, so we combined our passions to create Ballpark.

"The space offers varied activities as well as a sensory room, and we look forward to welcoming guests in the coming months.”

The state-of-the-art facilities are located at Brighton Marina – on the North Upper Boardwalk between Ballpark and LA Pool. They opened to the public on July 19.

The arena features 11 different football activities which are used by professional football teams around the world, including a ten-metre sprint lane, precision wall, speed radar, and Ronaldo header challenge.

Among the fun attractions is The ICON, often known as the ‘ICON Football Ring’. This is ‘built around the idea of deliberate practice’.

The Ballpark website adds: “Designed to replicate match-realistic movements, players can fine-tune vital attributes like close control, passing accuracy, awareness, and much more. It’s also a great tool for rehabilitation after injury, facilitating controlled, low-impact training, as a stepping stone to full-contact.”

The space also features a sensory room which has been built to support relaxation, self-regulation and sensory exploration for guests of all ages and abilities, with mood tables, interactive floor busy boards and immersive lighting.

One of the other selling points for the business is its self service beer machine – complimenting the bar and live sport offering.

Aaron’s son, Tommy – who is part of the friendly staffing team – said ‘there's nothing like us about’ in the area.

“We're one of a kind in Sussex,” he said. “We've got state-of-the-art technology like this that will help you improve your skills.

"You can use it for entertainment or coaching – anything like that. We've got a variety of different things to do.

"We also have a sensory room that's inclusive to everyone and people with additional needs.

"We've had good comments – everyone so far has enjoyed it. We have a different age range every day.

"We want to expand, so we're doing activities later in the evening, rather than just cutting off at about five.

"People can come in to use the bar. We have music, we have football, we have everything.”

Louise Taylor, centre director at Brighton Marina, said the new arrival was ‘perfectly timed’, during the school holidays.

She added: “We’re delighted to have welcomed Ballpark to our leisure line-up here at Brighton Marina. The state-of-the-art space offers an array of exciting activities which are sure to keep guests of all ages entertained.”

Ballpark will be open between 10am and 11pm on Monday to Thursday. It will be open between 10am and 12am on Fridays and Saturdays. On Sundays, Ballpark will be open from 10am to 10pm.

It costs £13 per person for an hour of play. For more information, visit https://ballparkbtn.co.uk/