It is a sad day when a magazine with as much history as Sidewalk loses its print edition. For 20 years, Sidewalk has been at the centre of the UK skateboarding scene (it was the only British skateboarding magazine when it was founded in 1995), documenting its legends and rising stars through endless iterations. Sidewalk made sense of an evolving culture and became, for many, the printed counterpart to a way of life.
In a move endemic of modern publishing, Factory Media decided to finish all of its print titles and concentrate on growing its digital properties. Sidewalk will continue in that spirit – building on its already-huge online community – and embracing new pixelly experiences.
Says founder Andy Horsley on the Sidewalk site: “Don’t get me wrong, I’m gutted that the print magazine will no longer grace the floors of skateboarder’s bedroom floors. But we want to continue to serve the ENTIRE UK skateboard scene as well as we did in print, and the best way we can do that now is online.”
Here are some great covers from the last 20 years of the print magazine.
Issue #1: Tom Penny
Issue #48: John Rattray
Issue #65: Nick Jensen
Issue #156: Gonz
Issue #221: Sam Beckett
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London’s largest indoor skatepark to be demolished for padel courts
Better Extreme — The Barking skatepark’s fate follows that of similar indoor spaces in recent years, with operators GLL citing falling visitor numbers as the reason behind the decision.
Written by: Isaac Muk
A decade of Palestinian skatepark graffiti gets turned into a clothing capsule
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Moshpits & kickflips at the Volcom Garden Experience 2026
Family affair — Last weekend, the skate, surf and snow culture brand hosted a free mini festival in its European backyard of Biarritz. We went along and chatted to legendary artist and surfer Ozzie Wright.
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The rise of France’s rollerskiing scene, as its snowfall thins
Carving road — With changing climates forcing skiers to travel higher up mountains in search of quality powder, a small community is turning to tarmac and building a new vision of the sport that doesn’t rely on winter.
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In photos: The gritty golden age of the UK’s skateboarding scene
Elsewhere — A new book from Science Vs. Life founder Neil Macdonald explores the characters, photographs and ephemera that defined the sport in the ’80s and ’90s, just before the internet and commercialisation changed it forever.
Written by: Isaac Muk
“Like skating an amphitheatre”: 50 years of the South Bank skatepark, in photos
Skate 50 — A new exhibition celebrates half a century of British skateboarding’s spiritual centre. Noah Petersons traces the Undercroft’s history and enduring presence as one of the world’s most iconic spots.
Written by: Noah Petersons
