Crystal Palace Padel Courts

Crystal Palace Padel Courts sits inside Crystal Palace National Sports Centre at Ledrington Road, London SE19 2BB. The site is on the Bromley and Croydon border in south London.

The two-court site is delivered by Game4Padel in partnership with GLL (Better) and is open to Better members and the public. Courts sit next to the main car park, a short walk from Crystal Palace station and the A212 Anerley Hill.

The padel courts launched in 2024 and were officially opened by former British number one Annabel Croft. They sit within one of London’s largest multi-sport hubs, alongside the 25 metre pool, indoor athletics track, sports halls, climbing wall and squash courts.

Players check in at the leisure centre reception before each session. The wider centre is open daily and the padel team can be reached through the Game4Padel community for queries about coaching, league entry or social mix-ins.

The padel courts

Crystal Palace Padel Courts has two outdoor padel courts built on the Instant Padel portable hard court system. Both have glass back walls and floodlights for evening play, and are set up as doubles courts for four player games.

Sessions run for 60 or 90 minutes, with double sessions available for back-to-back play. The hard court surface is quick underfoot and suits year round play in the British climate, and the courts sit on a sheltered apron next to the leisure centre car park.

Booking and access

Bookings are taken through Game4Padel’s Matchi page at matchi.se/facilities/game4padelcrystalpalace, or through the Better UK app. Both members and non-members can book online and there is no requirement to join Better to play.

Members get priority booking up to ten days ahead, versus seven days for non-members. Pricing is per player per hour. Weekday off-peak between 7am and 5pm is £6 for Better members and £8 for non-members.

Weekday peak from 5pm to 9pm is £7 members and £9 non-members. Weekends are £7 members and £9 non-members across the day. A 60 minute doubles slot therefore works out at roughly £24 to £36 per court depending on time and membership.

Racket hire is £2 per racket and the equipment bundle of up to four paddles plus balls is £3. The padel courts run Monday to Friday 7am to 10pm and weekends 9am to 5pm, with last session start one hour before close.

The wider leisure centre opens at 6:30am on weekdays and 8:30am at weekends. There are 250 free parking spaces on site, ten accessible bays and 40 cycle spaces. Crystal Palace and Penge West stations are both within walking distance.

Bus routes 3, 157, 122, 202, 227, 249, 322, 358, 363, 432 and 450 all stop nearby. Reception can be reached on 020 8778 0131 or at crystal.palace@gll.org for any questions about access, accessibility or group bookings.

Padel programme and social

Game4Padel runs WhatsApp community groups for Crystal Palace players, grouped by standard so beginners and improvers can find suitable hitting partners and mix-ins close to home in south London.

The team also runs coaching sessions on site and signposts members into wider Game4Padel events across its London network, including ladders, club nights and beginner taster mornings on weekends.

Changing rooms, showers, a cafe and step free access through the main leisure centre are all available before and after play. The site offers accessible parking, lifts for disabled visitors and a pro shop for racket strings, grips and balls.

Best for

This is a strong fit for south London padel players who want pay and play access without a separate club membership. It also suits beginners trying the sport for the first time and Better members adding padel to a gym or swim routine.

The hard court surface and outdoor setting mean some sessions are weather dependent. With only two courts, peak evening slots book up fast, so larger groups and clubs wanting a six or eight court venue may prefer a dedicated Game4Padel site elsewhere in the capital.

Looking for more padel options nearby? See Padel at Hays Galleria (London Sports Festival) and Padel at Tower Hill Terrace (London Sports Festival).

Game4Padel runs coaching at Crystal Palace for all levels, with private lessons, group sessions and a junior programme. WhatsApp community groups help players find suitable matches and mix-ins.