There are plenty of health and wellbeing trends out there at the moment: high protein meals (we see you, cottage cheese), the 80/20 rule, manifestation and sound healing, and low-impact walks and Pilates for days. But what's the latest game to come to the world of popular sports? Padel, of course.
This racket sport hails from Mexico, taking over London with its perfect hybrid of squash and tennis; think solid, stringless bats and playing balls off the court's wall like in squash, but combined with tennis scoring and a smaller doubles tennis-style court. If that sounds like it'll float your boat, check out all the very best courts and clubs for padel tennis in London.
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Where To Play Padel In Central London
Powerleague, Shoreditch
Address: Braithwaite Street Off Bethnal Green Road E1 6GJ
Get pumped for an exhilarating workout experience with Powerleague Padel, the rapidly growing sport that's making a mark across the globe.
Powerleague, renowned for its commercial small-sided football offerings in the UK, also features three state-of-the-art panoramic padel courts. These areas cater to both beginners and seasoned players, offering 60 and 90-minute sessions, introductory Padel lessons, and social events. Court fees start from as low as £11 per person, offering secure changing facilities, top-of-the-line Babolat equipment, and racket rental to provide the ultimate padel experience.
Padel Clubs In West London
Padel Social Club, Earls Court
Address: Empress Place, SW6 1TT & Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX
Built around fostering a sense of community, making their Earls Court venue popular with everyone from beginners to enthusiasts, Padel Social Club offers a vibrant hub for playing the sport in West London. Alongside the chance to hone your padel skills, there are sauna and cold plunge sessions, as well as fitness classes - both at 20% off with memberships - creating a well-rounded fitness package.
Membership itself is £33 per month, which also grants access to league and club championship tournaments, and courts cost around £50 or more for each hour. West Brompton station is just a short walk away too for easy transport links.
Rocks Lane Padel Tennis, Chiswick And Barnes
Address: 60 Chiswick Common Road, W4 1RZ & Ranelagh Avenue, SW13 0BY
Having been well-established in Chiswick and now expanding to Barnes, Rocks Lane Padel Tennis is sure to be a staple for those of you in W and SW postcodes. You'll find the former just a stroll away from Turnham Green tube stop on Chiswick Common, boasting 12 padel courts (including four), plus a bustling clubhouse with a cafe, changing rooms and soft play.
Meanwhile, the latter venue has four courts in a picturesque Barnes Common setting - again with plenty of facilities to reflect the fact padel is a social sport played in doubles pairs. And if you fancy brushing up on your skills? Book into the adult courses or one-on-one coaching. They're also joining forces with The Anti Swipe for a sporty singles event on 30th May that costs £36 per person.
Park Sports, Regent's Park And Hyde Park
Address: South Carriage Drive, W2 2UH & York Bridge, Inner Circle, NW1 4NU
To book padel at Regent's Park or Hyde Park, Park Sports have you covered with two floodlit courts at the former and one at the latter. You can join courses, head to lessons or opt for the simple 'pay and play' basis - no membership needed.
Bookings open seven days in advance and spots are sought-after, although once you're there, you'll have the best time playing in a gorgeous Royal Park surrounded by green space. There's even a friendly cafe at each location too.
Places To Play Padel In East London
Padium, Canary Wharf
Address: 10 Bank Street, E14 4DE
A premium pick of places to play padel, Padium has seven indoor and a single outdoor court across their state-of-the-art club, which is also one of the few places to provide showers on-site. Expect full courses tailored to all skill levels, private tuition and social padel too, with court hire costing £80 an hour for your group of four.
Upgrade your booking to centre court here (£100 per hour) and you'll get to enjoy the added benefits of gamecam technology - recording and analysing your gameplay with AI, so that you know exactly where and how to improve.
Stratford Padel Club, East London
Address: 221 High Street, E15 2AE
Nine indoor courts make up Stratford Padel Club, a space founded by Javier Fernandez Aguirre back in December 2018. The venue has since grown from its 30 members to having serviced more than 20,000 players over the years - a testament to both the growth of the sport and the dedication of the team here.
Top-notch facilities span everything from match recording and streaming to changing rooms with showers, a popular beer garden, table tennis, a gym, and a bar serving drinks and hot food. It's really got everything you need, all in one place.
Rocket Padel, Ilford
Address: 2 The Drive, IG1 3PS & Battersea Power Station, 1 Circus Road East, SW11 8DQ
Having opened in April after £2.5 million was spent building a World Padel Tour-standard space, Rocket Padel now boasts the title of the largest indoor padel club in the capital - a legacy they'll expand on with Rocket Padel London Battersea in September 2024. The Ilford spot is a 10 min walk from Redbridge tube station, bringing you the opportunity to play across 11 courts, alongside two high-tech tournament centre courts complete with spectator areas.
There's a full coaching programme to get stuck into, a bistro to make a full day out of your sports session, and a pro shop for all your equipment needs. But what about cost? It's £36 for an hour on the court as a group of four.
Padel Courts In North London
Hazelwood Sports Club, Winchmore Hill
Address: Ridge Ave, N21 2AJ
If a North London padel club would be more around your neck of the woods, then checking out Hazelwood Sports Club is essential. Originally opened in 1909 as a traditional tennis club, the venue has since added both squash and padel to their repertoire.
This was one of the first places in the UK where you could play padel, having added a court in 2015, so the team here have really been paving the way for the sport. Annual memberships offer £15 per hour off-peak hire (£24 in peak times), alongside tournaments and weekly club nights - although non-members can still hire courts at higher rates.
Where's Best For Playing Padel In South London
The Padel Yard, Wandsworth
Address: 2 Armoury Way, SW18 1SH
Fans of the former Backyard Cinema stomping ground in Wandsworth will know the surroundings of The Padel Yard well, but the space has been totally transformed into this new sports club in collaboration with Game 4 Padel. There are now three indoor padel courts and four outdoor - all made of artificial grass - so that you can make the most of the world's fastest growing sport. Or you can even play pickleback too if you fancy a go at what's trending over in the US.
There are intro classes, social sessions where you'll get randomly paired with other participants, and coaching ranging from beginner to intermediate. Memberships make the hourly court charge cheaper, plus the venue has a vibrant bar serving craft beer and smoothies to really make an occasion of your workout.
For more fun and fitness-related things to do, take a look at our guide covering the most unique classes across London. Sign up to our newsletter and hear about the latest trends.