Stoke-on-Trent has been a slow mover on padel by UK standards, but 2025 and early 2026 changed that quickly. The Potteries now has multiple venues in operation, more on the way, and an operator – Ace Padel – that was founded locally and is betting heavily on this being a long-term hub for the sport. If you’ve been driving to Derby or Birmingham for padel, that trip is getting harder to justify.
Padel in Stoke – at a glance
| Venue | Location | Courts | Type | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Padel Cobridge | Elder Road, ST6 2JF | 4 | Indoor | Playtomic |
| Ace Padel Milton | Millrise Road, ST2 7DW | 3 | Outdoor | Playtomic |
| Powerleague Trentham Lakes | Dennis Violet Avenue | 4 | Canopied outdoor | Playtomic |
| Fenton Manor Sports Complex | City Road, Fenton | 4 (planned) | Covered + open air | TBC |
Ace Padel Cobridge: the flagship venue
The most serious padel facility in Stoke is Ace Padel’s Cobridge centre on Elder Road (ST6 2JF), which opened in late 2025 in a converted Magnet showroom. Four courts – three doubles and one singles – in a purpose-built indoor space with cafeteria, changing rooms, equipment rental, free parking, and Wi-Fi. It’s a proper club setup at a standalone venue designed around the sport.
The site sits at the junction of Elder Road and Waterloo Road in Cobridge, a short drive from the city centre. Opening hours run 6am to midnight on weekdays and 6am to 11pm Saturday – earlier starts than many regional venues. Pricing runs £32–£48 per hour depending on slot, bookable through Playtomic. Courts are panoramic indoor glass, so the weather is irrelevant.
Ace Padel was founded by Jamie Reynolds, who is based in Endon, North Staffordshire. The operator is expanding across the UK, with Cobridge as the flagship – which means local management with real skin in the game, and a development roadmap that prioritises the area.
Ace Padel Milton: outdoor courts, north Stoke
The second Ace Padel site in Stoke is at the Hardman Centre on Millrise Road in Milton (ST2 7DW), embedded within Milton United Football Club’s ground. Three outdoor courts, open 7am to 9:30pm daily. Pricing is lower than Cobridge – £24–£36 per hour – which likely reflects the outdoor setting and the venue’s position on the northern edge of the city.
The Milton location serves the north of the city and villages like Baddeley Green, Stockton Brook, and Endon. If you’re in the northern half of the city, this avoids a trek to Cobridge. It’s an outdoor facility, so the usual caveats about wet weather and temperature apply, but Stoke’s padel player base is clearly being built across multiple sites from the start.
Powerleague Trentham Lakes
Powerleague opened four fully canopied padel courts at its Trentham Lakes site (Dennis Violet Avenue) in February 2026. Canopied means covered from above but open at the sides – weather protection without full enclosure. Pricing starts from £6.50 per person, making it the most accessible entry point in the city on cost. Booking is through Playtomic, and Babolat equipment is available to hire on-site.
Powerleague is a national operator with football pitches as its core product, so this is a padel add-on to an existing leisure site. That’s a different experience to Ace Padel’s dedicated setup – more of a drop-in feel, less of a club atmosphere – but at that price point, it’s an easy way to try the sport without committing to a prime-time slot.
What’s coming: Fenton Manor Sports Complex
Stoke City Council has secured planning permission for padel courts at Fenton Manor Sports Complex (City Road, Fenton), to be run by Ace Padel. The scheme includes two covered courts and two open-air courts – four additional courts bringing the city’s total provision up significantly. No opening date has been confirmed, but with planning approved and an operator in place, it’s moving.
Fenton Manor is the city’s main leisure centre and well-connected by public transport, which should make this the most accessible padel option in the city when it opens.
What does padel cost in Stoke?
Stoke’s pricing spreads across a wider range than cities with a single dominant operator. Ace Padel Cobridge (£32–£48/hr) is at the higher end for a regional venue, which reflects its indoor flagship status. Ace Padel Milton (£24–£36/hr) sits in the mid-range, more typical of outdoor courts at specialist operators across the UK. Powerleague at £6.50 per person undercuts both significantly.
Split four ways, you’re looking at £8–£12 per person for most sessions at the Ace Padel venues, or around £6–£9 at Powerleague. How much padel costs across the UK varies considerably by region, but Stoke sits comfortably in the affordable bracket for English padel outside London.
If cost matters, book mid-week mornings. If you need indoor courts, Cobridge is the only option in the city.
Getting started in Stoke
All three operating venues book through Playtomic, so a single account covers your options. If you’re completely new to padel, Ace Padel Cobridge offers coaching sessions – and the Playtomic app also surfaces open social sessions and mix-in events where you can join without bringing four people. The how to start playing padel guide covers what to expect before your first session if you’ve never been on a court.
If you’re already playing elsewhere, the nearest points of comparison are padel in Wolverhampton (about 45 minutes south), padel in Derby (around an hour east), and padel in Manchester (around an hour north), all of which have established multi-court venues. Stoke is now competitive on provision without needing to look outside the city – which, for a Potteries player, is a more recent development than most people realise.
For court guides in other parts of the UK, browse the full directory of towns we cover.