Inside England’s First Pickleball-Only Clubs: A New Era for the Sport?

Inside England’s First Pickleball-Only Clubs: Are We Reaching a Turning Point?

In a quiet industrial park just outside Oxford, the unmistakable pop-pop-pop of pickleballs echoes from within a converted warehouse. Inside, four regulation-size courts span the smooth indoor surface. This is not a borrowed badminton hall or a multi-use community centre. It is one of England’s first dedicated pickleball-only clubs—a facility built for the game and nothing else. For the first time, English pickleball players are stepping into spaces designed entirely for their sport. And it may signal something bigger than just bricks and mortar.

Over the last five years, pickleball has shifted from quirky curiosity to credible contender in England’s sporting landscape. Once relegated to the off-peak hours of local leisure centres, the game has grown quietly, fuelled by older adults seeking joint-friendly activity, tennis converts looking for a fresh challenge, and entire families embracing its accessibility. Now, with permanent facilities beginning to open, the question arises: is pickleball finally entering a new era of permanence?

From Shared Courts to Exclusive Homes
Until recently, nearly all pickleball in England was played in borrowed spaces: church halls, school gyms, and underutilised badminton courts. Clubs would often tape down temporary lines before each session and share their time slots with other sports. It worked, but it was a compromise. Net heights weren’t always correct, lighting was inconsistent, and access depended on juggling other users’ availability.

The arrival of pickleball-only venues changes that dynamic. Facilities such as Pickleball Club Oxfordshire, launched in early 2024, are purpose-built or converted specifically for the game. They feature correct court dimensions, permanent nets, specialist lighting, and even paddle rental services. For the first time, the sport is beginning to create physical spaces that reflect its growing identity in the UK.

“This isn’t just a place to play—it’s a place to belong,” says Claire Hammond, one of the founding organisers of the Oxfordshire club. “We wanted somewhere where pickleball isn’t an afterthought. It’s the headline act.”

A Symbol of Maturity
Dedicated clubs do more than improve playing conditions. They also suggest a degree of economic and cultural maturity. Leasing a venue, outfitting it for a niche sport, and drawing enough regular users to sustain it—these are all signs of a sport moving from fringe to fixture.

Pickleball England, the sport’s national governing body, has seen membership increase year on year. In 2019, there were just over 1,000 registered members. By mid-2025, that figure had surpassed 15,000. While many players still enjoy casual drop-in sessions, a significant portion are now seeking league play, coaching, and facilities that reflect their commitment.

“Dedicated clubs show that there’s a real market here,” says Brian Walker, a regional pickleball ambassador in the Midlands. “It’s a vote of confidence in the future of the sport.”

The Business Model Behind the Movement
The new pickleball-only venues are not just social experiments; they are business ventures. Some operate as cooperatives with member ownership. Others are run as private enterprises with monthly fees, drop-in rates, or court bookings via app-based platforms.

Pricing varies. In Lancashire, the recently opened PickleHQ offers monthly memberships starting at £25, with unlimited off-peak access and additional fees for peak-time reservations. Meanwhile, a high-spec venue in Surrey is testing a more exclusive model, offering coaching, branded merchandise, and even locker rentals.

What unites them is a belief that demand will grow. Operators are betting that players will be willing to pay for quality, convenience, and a community of regulars. Early signs suggest they may be right: many clubs have already reported waitlists or plans to expand.

Risks and Resistance
Not everyone welcomes the shift toward exclusive venues. Some worry that purpose-built clubs may alienate players who cannot afford monthly fees or who prefer the informal, social nature of community sessions. Others raise concerns about local councils diverting support from multi-use leisure facilities to back single-sport venues.

Then there are practical challenges. Real estate is expensive, and many urban areas lack the space or zoning flexibility to accommodate new pickleball hubs. Indoor facilities also face high heating, lighting, and insurance costs, especially in winter months.

Still, club founders remain optimistic. Several are experimenting with flexible pricing schemes or hybrid usage models, offering free beginner days, drop-in slots for non-members, and partnerships with local schools or care homes.

“Our goal is not to replace community play,” says Hammond. “It’s to add another layer. You can still play in a church hall on Mondays. But now there’s a place to play every day.”

A Glimpse Into the Future?
If these early clubs succeed, they may shape the next phase of pickleball’s growth in England. Similar to how five-a-side football facilities spread across urban areas in the early 2000s, or how padel tennis has recently boomed with dedicated courts and clubs, pickleball may follow a parallel path.

Already, sports entrepreneurs and property developers are taking note. There are whispers of a London-based investor consortium exploring a multi-court pickleball complex in East London. A leisure centre in Birmingham is trialling an indoor conversion of three underused squash courts into permanent pickleball spaces. Even David Lloyd Clubs, known for their premium tennis and fitness services, has reportedly conducted feasibility studies on incorporating dedicated pickleball into new locations.

Whether the future holds a national network of branded clubs or a patchwork of local pioneers, one thing is clear: pickleball is beginning to plant roots.

Not Just a Trend
Critics once dismissed pickleball as a novelty sport. But like parkrun, indoor climbing, or paddleboarding before it, it has evolved from fringe hobby to structured pastime. The emergence of dedicated venues is not merely symbolic. It is infrastructural. It anchors the game in the built environment, giving it not only visibility but stability.

The real question is not whether pickleball-only clubs will survive. It is whether they will redefine how the game is played and who gets to play it.

For now, in places like Oxfordshire, Lancashire, and the outskirts of Surrey, the answer is already echoing off newly painted walls, between court dividers, and under LED lighting: England’s pickleball scene has officially stepped into its own house.