Manchester Tennis & Racquets Club

Manchester Tennis & Racquets Club is a historic members’ racquets club at 33 Blackfriars Road, Salford, M3 7AQ. The setting is a short walk from Manchester city centre across the River Irwell, with the M602 and M60 a few minutes away.

Founded in 1876 and housed in its current Grade II* listed building since 1880, the club has quietly added padel and pickleball to its traditional line-up of real tennis, rackets and squash. Play takes place on indoor courts adapted from the historic racquets hall.

This is a different kind of Manchester Tennis & Racquets Club padel experience to a purpose-built club. The setting is character-rich rather than glossy, and the membership is welcoming to players who enjoy the history of the building as much as the game itself.

The padel courts

Padel at Manchester Tennis & Racquets Club is played indoors on adapted courts inside the original 19th-century racquets building, sharing the footprint with pickleball lines. Court count and dimensions vary from a standard 20m by 10m padel court because the layout is shaped by the historic hall.

The experience leans towards friendly social play and introductions to the sport rather than a full club-spec tournament setting. Lighting is the club’s own indoor system, and the playing surface is fully covered from the British weather.

Rackets and balls can be borrowed from reception for members and guests who arrive without kit. Because the club is also home to real tennis, rackets and squash, padel sessions are scheduled alongside other racquet sports rather than on dedicated 24/7 booking blocks.

Booking and access

The club does not currently use Playtomic or Matchi for padel bookings. Courts are reserved directly through the club office on 0161 834 0616 or by email to manager@mtrc.co.uk, which is also the best route to ask about visitor sessions and member-and-guest play.

Live rates and availability are confirmed at the booking step rather than published online. Membership categories, joining fees and any pay-and-play options for padel are quoted on enquiry. The club website at mtrc.co.uk notes that the site is being updated.

The office is the most reliable source for current pricing and opening hours. Reception staff can also advise on parking nearby on Blackfriars Road and Chapel Street, and on step-free access into the main building.

Padel programme and social

As a members’ club, the social side of Manchester Tennis & Racquets Club is built around in-house mix-ins, internal box leagues across the racquet sports and seasonal events. These bring the padel, pickleball, squash, rackets and real tennis communities together under one roof.

The on-site lounge and dining room are part of the experience, with food, drinks and a relaxed post-match atmosphere that purpose-built padel venues often lack. Coaching at the club has historically focused on real tennis, rackets and squash, led by head professional Steve Brockenshaw and senior professional James Asher.

Padel-specific group sessions and beginner clinics run on demand. The office can confirm what is currently on the programme and whether a visiting padel coach is scheduled. Updates on events are posted on the club’s Instagram at @mtrc.1874.

Best for

Manchester Tennis & Racquets Club suits padel players who value heritage, members’ club atmosphere and a multi-sport setting over a high-volume booking platform. It is a strong fit for curious newcomers who want to try padel and pickleball without committing to a full padel-only membership elsewhere.

It is less suited to players chasing instant online booking, a packed weekly tournament calendar or a fleet of identical purpose-built panoramic courts. For those needs, Manchester has specialist padel venues across the city centre, Trafford and the suburbs.

For everyone else, MTRC offers a genuinely one-of-a-kind padel experience inside Greater Manchester’s most distinctive sporting building, with the bonus of a clubhouse, lounge and dining room on the doorstep.

Looking for more padel options nearby? See Club de Padel - Manchester, Manchester Padel Club (Heald Green) and Park Padel Sports Club in Oldham.

To compare Manchester Tennis & Racquets Club with other venues, see all the padel courts in Salford listed on padeli.

Resident coaching at Manchester Tennis & Racquets Club is led by head professional Steve Brockenshaw and senior professional James Asher, with padel and pickleball clinics arranged on demand through the club office.