Belfast Boat Club Padel

Belfast Boat Club Padel brings three padel courts to the historic riverside sports and leisure club at 12 Lockview Road, Stranmillis, Belfast BT9 5FJ, on the western bank of the River Lagan just south of Belfast city centre.

The padel facility opened in January 2025 as the latest addition to a multi-sport club founded in 1864, a short walk from the Lyric Theatre, the Ulster Museum and Queen’s University. The site is reached via the A55 Outer Ring, the Stranmillis Road and the M1 through Donegall Road.

Belfast Boat Club sits within a Northern Ireland padel scene that is still finding its feet, and the two covered courts here mean year-round play through Belfast’s wetter winter months alongside tennis, squash and rowing on the same site.

The padel courts

There are three regulation 10m x 20m double padel courts on site, all installed in January 2025 and listed on Playtomic as Padel 1 (uncovered outdoor), Padel 2 (covered) and Padel 3 (covered).

The two covered courts have an overhead roof structure that protects play from rain and low light, while the outdoor court offers an open-air option in better weather. All three are panoramic glass-back doubles courts with synthetic turf surface and LED lighting for evening sessions.

Booking and access

All padel court bookings - members and non-members - are handled through Playtomic. Members can reserve up to 8 days ahead at a discounted rate, while non-members and temporary members book up to 7 days in advance.

Peak hours run Monday to Friday 4pm to 10:30pm, and weekends 9am to 6pm. Peak court rates are £24 for 60 minutes (member) and £32 (non-member), with 90-minute sessions at £36 and £48. Off-peak 60-minute rates drop to £16 (member) and £24 (non-member).

Standard Junior Members pay the lower peak rate, and Off-Peak Adult Members get the off-peak rate at all times. Prices are per court, so doubles works out at roughly £4 to £8 per player off-peak. The club office takes calls on 028 9066 5012 or emails to info@belfastboatclub.com.

The clubhouse is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 11pm and Sunday 9am to 8pm, with Playtomic court slots running earlier and later than staffed hours. On-site parking, changing rooms with showers and a bar and restaurant are available to all padel court users.

Padel programme and social play

The club runs a structured padel academy through Playtomic, with rolling 10-week Beginner, Improver and Junior class blocks from £80 per term, typically scheduled on Friday mornings and Sunday evenings to fit around school and work.

Social padel tournaments run on weekday mornings throughout the year, with entry around £9.50 and unrestricted level brackets that mix newer and more experienced players in short round-robin or americano formats. Mix-ins and friendly box leagues sit alongside the established tennis, squash and rowing programmes.

The clubhouse hosts regular member socials, food and drink nights and family events on the River Lagan terrace that tie the padel community into the wider sports club. Detailed coaching tiers, term dates and current coach availability are listed on the dedicated coaching tab on this page.

Best for padel in Belfast

Belfast Boat Club Padel suits south Belfast and Stranmillis locals who want covered courts within walking distance of Queen’s, the Lyric and the Lagan towpath. It also rewards visitors who value a proper clubhouse with bar, restaurant and parking attached to their padel session.

The mix of two covered and one outdoor court makes it a reliable winter option in Northern Ireland’s weather. It is less suited to players who want a pure pay-and-play padel-only venue, since the wider club has a members-first culture and peak non-member rates sit at the higher end of the local market.

Looking for more padel options? See Feat4 Belfast.

Belfast Boat Club Padel runs structured 10-week Beginner, Improver and Junior class blocks through Playtomic alongside private and small-group coaching, with sessions scheduled on Fridays and Sunday evenings.