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London's only full-size indoor skate park to close

Harry LowLondon
News imageNathan Livingston Man in blue shorts and helmet with knee guards on a skateboard at an indoor wooden skate parkNathan Livingston
The skate park will close on 2 August

London's only full-size indoor skate park is set to close next month and be replaced by padel courts.

The decision by GLL, which runs Better leisure centres, has prompted a campaign from skaters who claim Barking Skate Park in east London was built using £500,000 of public funds and will no longer be a "vibrant, amazing, diverse community of all ages".

Eleanor Dunlop, who led the campaign, told BBC London: "Barking and Dagenham is one of the most deprived parts of the country and it's in desperate need of accessible sporting places."

A GLL spokesperson said in the 13 years it has run the facility "its indoor skate park has made a financial loss every year, which is not sustainable".

It is due to close on 2 August.

News imageWinona Two girls in black helmets smile at the camera with a wooden skate park behind themWinona
The skate park is popular with young people

Dunlop added: "It's really important to local people as well.

"I've seen palpable panic in parents' faces when they hear that the place which they take their children to be safe is going to close in two weeks: the place where the children love to skate, to scoot, to be active.

"It's a vibrant, amazing, diverse community of all ages. There remains a really engaged and large group of people who absolutely rely on this space."

News imageNathan Livingston Black and white image shows a girl in black on skateboard with white helmet on wooden rampNathan Livingston
Campaigners have unsuccessfully attempted to prevent the skate park's closure

A spokesperson for GLL, the UK's largest leisure trust, said: "Between 2024 and 2025, visitor numbers fell by 25%, with the facility averaging fewer than three visits an hour, despite having capacity for up to 60 users an hour.

"Following a review and having garnered feedback from 300 customers, we have taken the difficult decision to close the skate park and transform the space into community-focused indoor padel courts. Sport England has approved the change.

"Padel is the UK's fastest-growing sport, yet there are currently no permanent padel courts in Barking and Dagenham. This investment will provide local residents with access to a sport that is growing rapidly in popularity."

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