London’s largest indoor skatepark to be demolished for padel courts

London’s largest and only remaining full-size indoor skatepark, Barking’s Better Extreme, is set to close and be replaced by padel courts.

It comes as skaters have launched a petition to save the space, which at the time of publishing stands at 2,889 signatures.

Barking Better Extreme opened in 2015, and is operated by GLL under its gym brand name Better. According to Barking & Dagenham Post, the skatepark was built after the centre won £500,000 worth of funding for extreme sport facilities. The climbing wall, which operated in the same building as the skatepark, has already reportedly seen deconstruction commence.

The closure of the park, which is due on August 2, follows the shuttering of other similar indoor spaces in recent years, including the GLL operated Better Extreme Sutcliffe skatepark, which closed in February 2023 and Bermondsey’s Hop Kingdom, which has closed in the face of eviction.

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Skaters who use the park say that its closure will negatively impact the local scene, and in particular, the diverse community of Barking and Dagenham. Eleanor Dunlop, a regular visitor to the skatepark who created the petition and campaign to keep Better Extreme Barking open, said: ​“Lots of community groups meet there. It’s really important to LGBTQ+ groups and Muslim women groups.

“A lot of families living in Barking say it’s one of the only places they can take their kids that’s safe,” she continued. ​“It keeps their kids out of trouble, and the children are really invested in the scooters and skateboards. Then there’s also the wider, very diverse group of people who are travelling to Barking to use it for skating, BMX, scooters and inline skates.”

It leaves people with few options, particularly in poor conditions. ​“You absolutely cannot use outdoor parks year round, and this closure will prevent a lot of people from accessing wheel sports all year round,” Dunlop said.

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GLL has cited a lack of revenue behind the decision. A spokesperson for GLL said: ​“GLL has run Barking Sporthouse for the past 13 years. During that time, the indoor skate park has operated at a financial loss every year. Despite a range of initiatives designed to increase participation, usage has continued to decline.

“Between 2024 and 2025, visitor numbers fell by 25%, with the skate park now averaging fewer than three visits per hour, despite having the capacity to accommodate up to 60 users per hour.

“Following a review of the facility and consultation with Barking Sporthouse customers, we have taken the decision to close the skate park and transform the space into community-focused indoor padel courts. Padel is the fastest growing sport in the UK and these will be the first permanent Padel courts to be built in Barking and Dagenham.

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“Existing skate park users will continue to have access to nine free outdoor skateparks across Barking and Dagenham, as well as the nearby specialist Rom Skatepark in Romford. As part of the transition, we will work with the council, the sports national governing body and local community groups to identify whether the skate park ramps and equipment from Barking Sporthouse can be re-used at other locations within the borough.”

Local skaters claimed that in recent months, unclear and reduced opening times have made visiting and accessing the skatepark difficult.

Earlier this year, Goldsmiths, University of London conducted a nationwide survey of skateable spaces, finding that managed indoor skateparks are the safest and best for improvement and progression. However, they make up less than 5% of all skateable spaces across the country.

Sign the petition to Save Barking Better Extreme Indoor Skatepark.

Isaac Muk is Huck’s digital editor. Follow him on Bluesky.

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