Gloucester sits in the middle of the M5 corridor, overlooked by most sport and leisure coverage despite being home to the largest padel facility in the South West. Nine indoor courts at Gloucester Quays makes this more than a regional curiosity – it’s a serious padel destination for players across Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and the Forest of Dean catchment.
The scene here has developed quickly. The Padel Club’s flagship Gloucester Quays venue opened in 2024 and has since hosted the UK Padel Convention – scheduled to return on 4 November 2026 – and LTA National Junior Performance Camps, which puts it in a different bracket from most regional facilities. Alongside it, two further options cover community play and private membership.
The Padel Club, Gloucester Quays
The main reason to come to Gloucester is this venue: The Padel Club Gloucester Quays on Saint Ann Way, GL1 5SF. Nine indoor courts in a purpose-built facility with changing rooms, showers, lockers, a clubhouse bar, a shop, and four hours of free parking when you register.
Courts and court types
The nine courts are not all equal, which gives the venue more character than most facilities of this size.
Standard courts (2, 3, 5, 7, 9) are your baseline – panoramic glass walls, LED lighting, consistent playing surface. Three of the courts (4, 6, and 8) are Game Cam courts, fitted with overhead cameras so you can record your sessions and review footage. This is particularly useful if you’re working on your game with a coach or want to self-analyse between lessons.
Court 1 is the Screen Court – a premium single court with enhanced viewing and a more polished environment. It’s used for events, filming, and higher-end coaching sessions, and the pricing reflects this.
Pricing
| Court type | Off-peak | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| Standard courts | £28/hour | £42/hour |
| Screen Court (Court 1) | £32/hour | £44/hour |
Off-peak means weekdays before 4pm. Peak covers weekday evenings (4pm–11pm) and all day at weekends. The off-peak window is generous – if you can play during the day, £28 for four players works out at £7 per person, which is competitive with any racket sport in the region.
Booking
All bookings go through Playtomic. Download the app, set up an account, and you can see availability and reserve courts up to 18 days ahead. There is no drop-in – if you want to play, book in advance. No membership is required.
Opening hours: Monday–Friday 6am–11pm; Saturday 7am–10pm; Sunday 7am–11pm.
Facilities and social
The clubhouse is more than a waiting area – there’s a bar, seating, and a social environment that makes it easy to extend your time at the venue after a match. The shop covers kit and equipment. Lockers and showers are available for anyone who needs to head out directly after playing.
The club runs a coaching programme for all levels, intro sessions for newcomers, and weekly social mixer events. The mixer format is particularly useful if you want to find regular playing partners or meet players at your level – show up solo and you’ll be matched with others.
The venue is dog-friendly, which is an unusual touch for an urban sports facility.
The Society membership
If you plan to play regularly, The Padel Club offers The Society – an annual membership at £100 per year. This doesn’t give you discounted court time but does provide other member benefits. Most players are likely to find pay-per-play sufficient unless they’re playing multiple times a week at peak hours.
Riverside Sports and Leisure
Riverside Sports and Leisure Club on Renfrew Road, Gloucester, offers a different proposition: four outdoor courts at a community membership club, with a structured coaching programme and significantly lower pricing for members.
The pay-as-you-go rate is £28 per court for non-members, bookable online or via the club app on the day or up to one day ahead. The difference from The Padel Club’s pricing is minimal for casual drop-in play, but members pay just £1 per person – making it considerably more cost-effective for anyone who uses the club regularly.
Guest policy: members can bring non-members at a £5 guest fee per person, which is a useful route in if you know someone at the club.
Equipment hire is available at £1 per racket (plus a refundable deposit), and balls can be purchased at reception for £7.
The coaching programme runs on Wednesdays and Fridays and covers four levels: intro, improvers, intermediate, and advanced. This is one of the more structured development programmes outside a dedicated padel club, and it gives Riverside a clear niche for players who want regular coached sessions rather than just court time.
Outdoor courts mean weather dependency, which is the obvious trade-off against the covered facility at Gloucester Quays. For summer play, or for players who prefer the outdoor feel, Riverside is a solid option – and the coaching programme is an asset that the Quays venue doesn’t match at equivalent price points for members. More details at riversidesports.co.uk/gloucester.
David Lloyd Gloucester
David Lloyd Gloucester on Delta Way, Gloucester Business Park (GL3 4BJ), has two outdoor padel courts, included as part of the club’s Platinum membership. For non-members, access is not available on a pay-per-play basis – if padel is your primary reason for joining David Lloyd, the value proposition needs to be weighed against the full membership cost. Worth a direct enquiry to the club if you’re already considering a David Lloyd membership for other reasons.
Which venue suits you
New to padel and want a proper intro: The Padel Club Gloucester Quays runs structured beginner sessions, and the clubhouse environment makes it easy to arrive as a solo player and leave with contacts. Book via Playtomic.
Playing regularly and want value: Riverside Sports membership drops the per-session cost considerably, and the four-day weekly coaching programme gives you a built-in structure that most casual players benefit from.
Already a David Lloyd member: Two outdoor courts at Gloucester Business Park. Check with reception for availability and any updates on access policy.
Visiting from Cheltenham: The Padel Club Cheltenham is a few minutes from The Padel Club Gloucester Quays in terms of setup and feel – the Gloucester venue is roughly nine miles and has more than twice the courts. Cheltenham’s padel scene is worth reading if you’re split between the two towns.
Looking further afield: Bristol’s padel venues are around 35 minutes south and offer a wider range of clubs for players who want more options. Oxford’s padel courts are accessible eastward along the A40, with Smash Padel Oxford and North Oxford LTC both operating pay-to-play.
Getting started
The Padel Club Gloucester Quays is the natural starting point for anyone new to Gloucester padel or new to the sport. Download Playtomic, register, and you can be on court within the day. The beginner sessions are the easiest way in if you haven’t played before – equipment hire is available so there’s no barrier on that front.
Our guide to starting padel covers what to expect before your first session, including how the rules work, what to wear, and how to find partners when you’re starting out.
Gloucester Quays is a serious facility. The nine-court set-up, the event programme, and the national camps confirm that this is one of the leading padel venues in England outside London. It’s worth the journey from anywhere in the catchment.
For court guides in other parts of the UK, browse the full directory of towns we cover.