You want to book a padel court for a group. A birthday, a work social, a stag or hen do – something where you want the whole court to yourselves for a couple of hours, on your own terms. That’s court hire, and it works differently from dropping into an open session.
Here’s what you need to know.
What padel court hire means
When venues talk about court hire, they mean exclusive use of one court for a defined period – usually one or two hours. Your group gets the court, the balls, and the space without strangers rotating in. It’s the padel equivalent of booking a lane at a bowling alley rather than turning up and joining a queue.
This is distinct from a coached group session (where an instructor leads the activity) or an open social session (where the venue mixes players together). Court hire is unstructured: you and your group, a court, and the time to do whatever you want with it.
What it costs
LTA research (March 2026) puts the average off-peak court booking in Britain at £27 an hour. Prices rise at peak times and vary by venue type and location – city-centre venues with indoor panoramic courts charge the most, and club-run facilities outside major cities are often cheaper.
Split across four players, an average off-peak hour is about £7 each. Compared to other group activities, it’s solid value – check the venue’s booking page for its peak and off-peak rates before you plan a group event.
For context, a shared session where you pay per person typically costs £8–15 per head. Exclusive hire costs more in total because you’re paying for the whole court regardless of how many people show up.
Venues that market themselves for events – corporate days, celebrations, birthday parties – sometimes package hire with coaching, a welcome brief for beginners, or food and drink. These packages vary widely; it’s worth asking the venue directly what’s included.
What venues typically include
Most court hire slots come with:
- Balls – standard padel balls are always provided
- Racket loans – most venues have loaners, sometimes included, sometimes charged at £2–5 per racket
- A court brief for beginners – a five-minute explanation of the rules before you start, which most venues offer without charging extra if you ask
Some venues that specialise in group events will offer a coach for the first 30 minutes to get complete beginners started – this is worth asking about when you book, especially if half your group has never played.
How to find and book
The easiest way to check availability is through Playtomic, which lists the majority of UK padel venues. Search by location, select a venue, and choose a court slot. When you pay for the full court yourself rather than splitting it, you have exclusive use – there’s no separate “hire” option needed. Add your group members’ names in the app and they’ll each get a notification.
For venues with large event spaces or dedicated corporate hire, the Playtomic listing isn’t always the best route. Search the venue’s own website or call directly – some places manage group hire separately from their regular booking system, and they may have larger time slots or package options that aren’t visible on the app.
Chains worth checking directly include David Lloyd, Virgin Active, and LTA affiliated clubs. Most have padel courts and will accommodate group bookings, though availability and pricing vary by site.
If you’re planning further in advance – a company day out, a large birthday group – give the venue two to four weeks’ notice. Weekend slots at popular venues can fill quickly, and dedicated event spaces sometimes need a week’s notice minimum.
When court hire makes sense
Most people hiring a court are in one of a few situations:
A birthday or celebration. A two-hour padel slot with a group of eight to twelve works well for mixed-ability groups. The glass walls keep mishits in play, which takes the pressure off beginners, and the doubles format means everyone is involved. See our guide to organising a padel stag or hen do for more on making group events work.
A work social or team day. Padel travels well as an office activity because it’s short, competitive without being brutal, and the rotating Americano format means no one is stuck with the same partner for two hours. Dedicated corporate events venues (The Padel Inn, The Pollen Club, and others) offer packages for this kind of booking.
A regular group session. If you play with the same four to eight people regularly, hiring a court gives you a reliable slot without having to coordinate open sessions around other players.
The difference between hire and a coaching session
Court hire is just the space. A coaching session involves a qualified instructor who structures the session, gives feedback, and adapts the format to the group. If half your group has never played, a coaching session might be worth the extra cost – particularly if the session is long enough that people would otherwise spend an hour guessing the rules.
Most venues offer both. When you book, specify whether you want the court alone or with a coach – the price difference is usually £30–60/hr for the coach on top of court hire.
Finding court hire near you
The padel court near me guide covers how to search for venues by location. Once you have a shortlist, check each venue’s website or Playtomic listing for group booking options, then contact them directly to confirm they offer exclusive hire and ask about availability.
Pricing varies enough that it’s worth comparing two or three venues before committing – particularly for larger groups where you might need multiple courts.
For more on costs across equipment, lessons, and membership, the padel cost guide has a full breakdown. If your group is new to the sport and wants to know what to expect on the day, your first padel session covers the basics.