Picklepad Christchurch

Picklepad Christchurch is a hybrid racket-sport centre at Unit 1 & 2, Priory Industrial Estate, Airspeed Road, Mudeford, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 4HD. Founded by Karen and Tania, two padel and pickleball enthusiasts, the venue bills itself as the first dedicated indoor pickleball and padel facility in the United Kingdom.

The unit sits a short drive from the A338 Bournemouth Spur Road and the A35 coastal corridor, making it accessible from Christchurch town, Bournemouth and Poole. You can find the full venue listing on smedasport.com.

The building holds two full-size panoramic padel courts alongside its pickleball lines, with keypad access for early-morning and late-night bookings. That setup makes Picklepad a useful option for Dorset players who want a covered venue all year round, especially when the New Forest weather turns.

The padel courts

The venue runs two indoor padel courts, Padel 1 and Padel 2. Both are standard 10m by 20m doubles courts with panoramic glass back walls, sitting under the warehouse roof on a permanent synthetic-grass surface.

Overhead LED lighting keeps play consistent regardless of the time of day or weather outside, which matters in a coastal location. Because the building is shared with pickleball lanes, court availability is bookable per slot rather than open walk-in, and the two padel courts can fill quickly at peak evening and weekend times. Both courts are configured for doubles play.

Booking padel and access

Picklepad Christchurch uses Playtomic for all padel bookings. You can book a court on Playtomic through the app or web, with court slots typically listed in 60 and 90 minute blocks.

A common rate shown on the platform is around £10 for 1.5 hours of court hire, with introductory four-player sessions advertised from £48. Live rates and any peak or off-peak variations show at the booking step on Playtomic.

Opening hours are long: Monday to Wednesday and Saturday to Sunday from 05:00 to 00:00, and Thursday to Friday from 09:00 to 00:00. A keypad entry system lets booked players in during unstaffed hours.

Free on-site parking is available at the industrial estate, and rackets can be hired at the venue from around £3 per paddle if you are trying padel for the first time. For enquiries the venue can be reached on 07936 572198 or at info@smedasport.com.

Padel programme and social

Programming is a real strength here, with a clear focus on getting newcomers onto a padel court. Regular weekly sessions include Beginners Padel with Karen on Thursday evenings and the PicklePad Padel Divas women’s session on Tuesdays.

Wednesday evenings host the Women that Padel competitive-friendly mix-in, which has built a small but loyal regular group. All sessions are listed and bookable through Playtomic alongside the standard court hire, and the venue runs occasional internal tournaments.

Off court, the centre has a members’ lounge, a sports bar showing Sky Sports, a pool table and table tennis, a small pro shop and a cafeteria, plus changing rooms with showers and WiFi throughout.

The hybrid pickleball and padel community means the bar is usually busy across the evening, giving the venue a clubhouse feel rather than a sterile court-hire warehouse.

Best for padel in Christchurch

Picklepad Christchurch is a strong fit for Dorset-based players who want guaranteed indoor padel without driving up to Southampton or Salisbury. It also suits beginners who want a structured, women-friendly entry point, and groups who like to combine court time with a drink and a pool match afterwards.

The two-court footprint and shared pickleball use mean it is less suited to large club nights, league-only players who need wide doubles availability across one venue, or anyone hunting for outdoor summer padel. For most BCP-area players it is currently the most convenient indoor padel option locally.

For other places to play nearby, browse the full list of padel clubs in Dorset, with court counts, prices and booking links.

Picklepad Christchurch runs an in-house padel programme led by co-founder Karen, with structured beginner classes, women-only sessions and competitive mix-ins bookable through Playtomic.