Frequently Asked Questions

We have a selection of rackets (and balls) to purchase at a number of our venues, at competitive prices. Tennis rackets are available in our sports retail shops at Hyde Park, The Regent's Park, Chiswick and Lammas Park.

If you want to try a demo racket before making your purchase you can now do that for just £25 per racket with our exclusive Park Sports Demo Racket Service! This amount will be deducted from your bill if you decide to subsequently buy the racket from the venue on the day. We do not provide rackets for hire.

We have a selection of the latest Padel rackets (and balls) to purchase at Hyde Park and The Regent's Park.

If you want to try a demo racket before making your purchase you can now do that for just £25 per racket with our exclusive Park Sports Demo Racket Service! This amount will be deducted from your bill if you decide to subsequently buy the racket from the venue on the day. We do not provide rackets for hire.

Yes, pickleball paddles and balls are available for hire. You will be required to show a valid photo ID, which will be held securely at reception whilst you play! Please ensure that the paddles and balls are returned to reception at the end of your booking.

Thinking of buying your own paddle? We're delighted to announce that our retail partner, ATT, will be providing a 15% discount on all Pickleball paddles throughout April and May.

For Lammas Park we use the 3G pitches so all players should wear suitable football boots (moulded stud, screw-in stud) or trainers – NO metal studs are allowed to be worn.

At Hyde Park we have an Astroturf pitch, so please make sure your child is wearing 'turf' boots (dimple studs) – NO blades or studs are permitted.

No. We are a public facility, and anyone can book a court.

The Park Sports Advantage Card is designed to reward regular players and provides cardholders with generous court booking discounts, 10 days advanced court booking rights, and many other discounts and benefits. The number of cardholders is likely to be limited at each sports venue, so don’t wait or you may miss out!

Yes. You just need to set up an online Account - its free, quick and easy.

Your personal information is stored securely on servers hosted in the UK and Europe. We are following industry best practices and will never sell your data to a third party.

You can amend most of your personal information within your online Account. If you want to amend other information or delete your Account you will need to make your request in writing to privacy@parksports.co.uk

No. All our sports venues and cafés are now ‘cashless’.

Standard advanced booking rights for tennis, padel and pickleball courts are 7 days. New courts are released every day at 7.00am.

All bookings are made online, via this website. Payment must be made at the time of booking. You can also take a chance and turn up on the day at the following venues: Chiswick and Lammas Park.

To give everyone a fair chance of playing we restrict each person to one court booking a day in Central London venues and two court bookings per day at West London venues.

You must be aged 18 years or more to make a booking. You can add your children (along with the relevant parental consents, allergies and medical information) to your online account at any time.

You can book a football pitch online up to 7 days in advance, or if you contact your local venue, we will be happy to book pitches up to 4 weeks in advance. Schools, clubs and sporting associations can book further in advance.

No. Park Sports approved coaches operate on a self-employed, independent basis and organise their own diaries.

Yes. However, we recommend making your booking online.

All players can now book Weekly Drill sessions online up to 7 days in advance.

We have also added more Weekly Drills at our Hyde Park and The Regent’s Park venues, so more players have the chance of enjoying this type of coaching.

New places are made available immediately after each session.

In Central London, at The Royal Parks, we are no longer able to offer new customers the opportunity of purchasing these types of card. This is due to the very high demand for courts at these venues. We have now increased the standard booking window for tennis and padel from 3 days to 7 days.

Existing cardholders at these venues are currently able to renew their cards. 

In Central London, at The Royal Parks, we are no longer able to offer new customers the opportunity of purchasing these types of card. This is due to the very high demand for courts at these venues. We have now increased the standard booking window for tennis and padel from 3 days to 7 days.

Existing cardholders at these venues are currently able to renew their cards.

You can hire team bibs and footballs at Lammas Park and Hyde Park. We do not hire bibs or balls at Pitshanger Park.

The lawn bowling green is open from Easter to late September

No. We are a public facility, and anyone can book and play.

You can book lawn bowls online, via this website, or on the day at our Hyde Park venue. Payment must be made at the time of booking.

Yes. All equipment is included so you can enjoy your game.

Flat shoes or bare feet are fine. Comfortable sporting attire is all you need to wear - there's no need to wear 'whites'

Private coaching lessons can be arranged directly with independent coaches, approved by Park Sports. Please contact the self-employed coach of your choice directly via the coaches profile page. Simply review the coaching profiles and select your coach. You can contact them directly by completing the enquiry form. These coaches are responsible for managing and delivering individual and small group tennis or padel coaching sessions. Payments must be made in full, in advance and directly to your coach.

Padel rackets come in three different shapes – round, drop-shaped and diamond-shaped. They are made out of an EVA foam material, are perforated and are shorter and more compact in shape than a tennis racket.

The LTA suggest starting out with a round bat, as these will offer you the best control if you’re a beginner. Junior bats are also available for kids, which are slightly lighter and have a shorter grip to make them easier to use. 

Yes, but you must let the coach know in advance. Coaches charge an additional fee of £5 for each additional person. The maximum number of people for small group private coaching is three.

Prices depend on the venue and each coach's qualifications and experience. Prices include hourly court hire. Additional floodlight fees apply at certain times of the day.

The session is a friendly match and is not led by a coach. Please make sure you wear appropriate footwear for a 3G or AstroTurf pitch.

You should call your local venue to ask, no more than one or two hours prior to the start of your booking.

Different rules for camps and courses apply, according to the circumstances. Please refer to our Cancellations and Refund Policy.

You can cancel your booking online within your Account or contact us via email to cancel your court. Our Cancellation & Refunds Policy provides the details on whether we will give you a full refund, apply a credit to your account or if your booking is non-refundable.

Credits may take a few days to process. When you make your next booking online, your credit will automatically show as a payment option. You can choose to use the credit against some/all of the booking. The screen will show you what your total credit balance will be (if any) if you do decide to use it. If you have any issues with seeing or using your credit, please contact your venue directly who will be able to assist you.

Credits can only be used at the Park Sports venue that issued the credit.

Please contact us via our online form on our Cancellations, Credit & Refunds page.

Credits can be used be used to pay in part or fully for a course, a place for your child to attend a holiday camp, a court booking, pitch hire or weekly drills.

Private lessons and small group coaching with independent coaches, block bookings, food and drink, and retail items. You also cannot transfer your credits to someone else for them to use, other than your child.

Credits will expire after 365 days (one year) from issue date.

When you sign up we will ask you to complete a Direct Debit instruction or pay by credit or debit card.  Your subscription will be automatically renewed in subsequent years. If you no longer wish to continue with your card subscription you must give us a minimum 14 days’ notice in writing – via email to the local venue that issued your card.

Self-employed coaches are responsible for managing and delivering individual and small group tennis or padel coaching sessions. You will need to contact your coach to cancel. If you cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice, you will incur the cost of the court, and your coach may also charge you for the missed or cancelled session.

Our standard T&C's state that those customers who book a court or pitch but don't turn up at the venue, or who fail to cancel a booking with more than 24 hours notice, will not be eligible for a credit or refund. Please refer to our Cancellations and Refund Policy for more details.

A court booking is deemed to have been played if more than 15 minutes has passed since the start time and no credit or refund will be offered. You can opt to continue to play at your own risk.

If the court is unplayable, or your session lasts for less than 15 minutes, we will issue you with a credit for your entire booking.

If the warning is for 'extreme' weather such as heavy snow, strong winds or abnormally high temperatures - at our senior management's sole discretion - we may decide to cancel your booking or choose to remain open to the public. We will try to inform you in good time before your booking starts.

Netball can be played at our West London venues (Chiswick, Lammas Park and Pitshanger Park) and at Hyde Park and The Regent's Park in Central London. If you contact your local venue, we will be happy to block book courts for you.

We have one table at both Hyde Park and The Regent's Park. Bookings can be made on the day at reception or alternatively, you can book in advance online.

If you pre-book online the price you pay includes equipment rental. If you simply book at reception on the day you can rent bats and balls.

Children cannot leave any Park Sports venue by themselves unless you provide us with prior written consent.

Please ensure the coach is made aware of your child's medication needs and bring it along with you.

Please note we are not permitted by law to administer any medication. If your child cannot administer their own medication, please speak to the venue before attending.

Our squads are run 'by invitation only' so please speak to the Head Coach or Lead Coach at the venue. For those players who aspire to develop their game to the highest level, our squads provide players with the opportunity to play with the best players in their age groups.

If we have a space we will be happy to help you change day. An administration fee will be applicable.

When a course has started unfortunately not. However, we can try to move the child to a different course at the same level during another weekday if available.

We have a range of tennis rackets to choose from, at competitive prices. At Hyde Park and The Regent's Park we also stock padel rackets. Please contact the venue for more details.

Weekly Drills are ideal for trying out tennis or padel for the first time, or for determining your ability level before you sign up for a course. We encourage you to talk to a coach before booking, but attending a weekly drill is by no means compulsory.

Park Sports Padel Social Tournaments are often organised by player rating - though we try to ensure that there are tournaments for everyone during the year.  Sometimes tournaments are by invite only - so please speak with the venue's Head Coach, Padel Coach or a member of our staff.

Walking Netball is played at a slower pace as the name suggests. The sessions are designed to follow the same formats as any other netball session; including a warm up, mini games and drills followed by a friendly game.

Walking Netball is suitable for all adults of different fitness levels. From those who have dropped out of the sport they love due to serious injury or pregnancy, to those who have thought they had retired from the sport many years ago.

These weekly junior football sessions are organised by age and focus on a different aspect of the game each week; from ball skills, shooting, defending, passing and match play. Sessions are suitable for children of any footballing ability.

Suitable football boots (moulded stud, screw-in stud) or ‘turf’ boots (dimple studs) – NO metal studs.

Please wear AstroTurf boots – NO blades or studs are permitted.

You book these football skills sessions on a weekly basis, so there is no commitment to sign up to a term or course. You simply book the session that you would like to attend online, in advance. All sessions must be booked online.

If you are a private booker (not-commercial) and would like to book a grass 'pitch' on Hyde Park's Old Football Pitches to play a sporting activity with friends and family you can play for free so long as the maximum number of participants is 20, you play for a maximum of one hour, and are happy to book no more than 7 days in advance.

Park Sports will ensure that your planned event meets The Royal Park’s Guidelines. Certain types of events may also require a permission letter from The Royal Parks, which may extend the time needed to confirm the booking.

Our assessment criteria include:

• Would the event clash with any other?
• Will park conditions at that particular time of the year be conducive to holding events?
• Are the management arrangements satisfactory for this event?
• Are the Health and Safety arrangements suitable and sufficient?
• Has enough time been given from submitting the initial enquiry to the actual event date?
• Have previous events of this nature been managed satisfactorily by this organisation?
• Does the event adversely affect park users, residents, or local businesses?
• What is the environmental impact of the event?

In no particular order, we expect you to do the following:

• Put all litter into bins or take any waste away with you
• Adhere to the route and site plan agreed prior to the event
• Provide Park Sports with evidence of your competence at organising events e.g. a method statement and/or a risk assessment
• Ensure that the supervision of children participating in the event is maintained at all times by a sufficient number of competent adults
• Provide adequate stewards for the event. For example, runs, cycle rides and walks will be expected to provide stewards at road crossings
• Make all necessary arrangements for first aid provision

Everyone organising or running an event has a legal duty of care to their employees, contractors and members of the public.

The nominated organiser takes overall responsibility for the proposed event and this individual will also be the point of contact during the planning and execution of the event.

Recommended reading: The Event Safety Guide – HSE Books (1999)

The grass pitch areas cannot be used for sports other than football, softball, rounders, tag rugby, volleyball or frisbee without prior agreement from the Park Sports Hyde Park venue Manager. Balls used for softball or rounders must be ‘soft’ balls and not hard.

As per The Royal Parks bylaws, players must NOT:

• Setup any infrastructure including portaloos and gazebos unless agreed in advance with Park Sports
• Fix items to trees, railings, fences or other structures in the Park
• Drive stakes into the ground
• Cook or barbecue any food - ONLY cold food is permitted
• Light any fires e.g. flaming torches
• Provide alcohol as part of the event*
• Leave items unattended in the parks
• Let the event interfere with any other park users or obstruct other park users
• Do bucket collections or similar, i.e. solicit donations from park visitors
  
• Release balloons
• Use pyrotechnics
• Play loud music
• Use or distribute glass bottles
• Disturb any wildlife
• Drive vehicles on or carry infrastructure for the event across, the Old Football Pitches – all vehicles should park in the designated Parking (P) and (D) bays on South Carriage Drive. (Max stay: 4 hours) Commercial Vehicles are NOT permitted in Hyde Park without prior consent of The Royal Parks

*Alcoholic drinks must be available free of charge (i.e., not for sale) and can only be consumed by your guests (who must be aged 18 years or over) in accordance with the City of Westminster licensing requirements. Alcohol must only be consumed in moderation. Please note that no glass is allowed on the pitches.

• Dogs are not permitted on the football pitches except for guide dogs
• Riding of bicycles and scooters is strictly prohibited on the grass areas / pitches

The Royal Parks will respond to you directly to confirm whether they will allow your event to take place at Hyde Park and will arrange a preliminary meeting with you. A licence fee will be agreed and Park Sports will confirm that the booking has been made in our bookings system.

The Royal Parks will consider each application on a case by case basis. Please provide all relevant documentation with your application to ensure your enquiry is processed in a timely manner; documents such as DBS checks, a copy of your public liability insurance, etc.

Our Mini Tennis activities are suitable to introduce children as young as 4 years old to tennis. Tennis Camps and LTA Youth tennis courses are for children aged 4-16.

Yes. All children must bring their own rackets or purchase one at reception in advance.

The best length of tennis racket for your child will depend on their height. To measure start by getting your child to stand up with both arms down by their side. Get them to hold a racket in their hand so it's pointing downwards. If the tip of the racket reaches their ankle, then it’s the right one! Source: LTA

Yes, our sports camps are for children of all abilities!

When it comes to clothes kids can wear whatever they’re most comfortable in really. Just remember they will be active – think shorts, tracksuit bottoms, t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies. Keep the jeans and heavy coats at home.

Shoes wise, we’d suggest that kids wear a comfortable pair of trainers, as these will stop them from slipping and getting foot and ankle injuries when on the court. During the Summer months please apply a high factor sun lotion. If you are unsure, please contact us before arrival.

Camps are run in all weather (except at Greenwich Park and Pitshanger Park) with creative indoor learning provided as necessary.

For Mini Camps we ask that a parent or a guardian is present at the venue while the one hour-camp takes place.

Alternatively, for parents of older children, parents have the choice of dropping their child off and picking them up at the agreed time or they can stay and watch throughout the day if they wish.

At selected venues (Hyde Park, The Regent's Park, Lammas Park and Chiswick) if we have availability on a specific day, yes. Priority will be given to those booking for the whole period.

Park Sports partners provide match officials (referees and umpires) and all the equipment for League matches. There's nothing for you to worry about, except turning up.

On the football pitch, all referees are FA qualified. On the netball court, you'll always have a B or C qualified official.

Our LTA Youth programme is designed to introduce children as young as four to tennis. Fun, dynamic sessions will help kids get to grips with the basics of the game, improve their co-ordination and make some new friends along the way.

Any age is a great age to start playing tennis. It’s never too late to pick up a racket, learn some new skills and improve your fitness – parents, that includes you too!

If you’re looking to get your kid into competitive tennis, then the earlier they start the better. If they start later than 4 years of age there’s no reason why they still can’t go on to play competitively, or for fun of course!

Where do we start? Tennis can benefit your kids in so many ways, by providing physical, mental and social skills for life. As well as the obvious fitness training, your child will also:

• Find their passion and motivation
• Learn resilience through friendly competition
• Understand and practise emotional control (no frustrated racket smashes here)
• Develop respect, communication and teamwork
• Focus on personal best, not just winning
• Improve balance, agility and co-ordination
• Release endorphins and destress
• Improve focus and reaction times
• Meet new people and make friends

Whether a child is a beginner or a young pro, our coaches will help them become a confident, well-rounded individual, as well as a skilful player.

Tennis as a sport is relatively safe. Of course, there is always a small risk of tripping over or being hit by a ball, but overall the risk of serious injury is minimal. If your child is attending a Park Sports activity, our coaches will make sure they are playing in a safe environment, with the right equipment and to a level that suits their physical ability.

Play with friends – playing in a group is always much more fun. Why not find a few school friends to play with or sign your child up for one of our LTA Youth tennis courses?

Mix it up – Book a game together. Keep kids entertained with a variety of games and activities using different skills and equipment. Let them explore, try out new things and use their imagination.

Set a challenge – kids love a bit of competition, so set them a challenge to do on their own, in a team with friends or sign them up for a LTA Junior Tennis Tournament.

Absolutely anyone. Tennis is played by hundreds of thousands of people around Britain of all ages, backgrounds and abilities and we want you to join in on the action.

From kids starting their tennis journey to disability tennis, and even those who just want a fun way to stay fit and healthy – tennis is a sport for all and offers a wide range of physical, mental and social benefits that anyone can enjoy. We want you to bring your own style and character to the court and Play Your Way.

Whites are for Wimbledon and while we all hope we can get there some day, we want you to bring your unique style to the court - the more colour the better!

Wearing the right shoes is really important though – having the wrong ones can hurt your feet and cause injury. Wear a comfortable pair of trainers - these will stop you from slipping and getting foot and ankle injuries.

When it comes to tennis kit, you can play in whatever you feel most comfortable in. Just remember you will be active – think t-shirts, shorts, tracksuit bottoms, sweatshirts.

For a beginner’s tennis racket, you don’t need to spend a lot of money – just look for a racket with a large head size. A larger racket head - between 95-110 square inches - will make it easier for you to hit the ball when you’re starting out.

You can also test different grip sizes to find a racket that’s right for you. Grip sizes range from one to five and to find your correct size follow this step. When you wrap your hand around the handle, there should be a one centimetre gap (or the width of your little finger) between your thumb and first finger.

When it comes to tennis balls, adults play with the yellow pressurised balls you may have seen at Wimbledon and other big tennis tournaments.

However, here's a Top Tip from the LTA. For any beginner, use different coloured tennis balls which are slower, softer and lighter and therefore easier to hit – so you can have longer rallies and learn the sport. They come in red, orange or green (think traffic lights but with red the easiest to hit) and even some of the top pros use them when working on something new or coming back from injury.

Netball Leagues vary by venue and run in mini-seasons lasting around 8-12 weeks. You'll normally play every opponent twice in one season and play once a week.

If you are looking for regular netball at Hyde Park but are not part of a full team, you can sign up to the Wednesday Mixed League, on a weekly basis via the Go Mammoth website.  

Alternatively, at Lammas Park you can register your details on the Power League website. You will be put into a player pool and a team will be formed out of other individuals, or you will notified if any teams might need your help!

Each league has an event organiser, who'll will be your point of contact as the league progresses. Up to date League Fixtures, Results & Standings will be shared - so each week you can see who and when you are playing!

At Lammas Park your main contact will be Ricci Campbell:

T: 07917 677358
E: ricci.campbell@powerplay.co.uk

Padel is a sport for anyone and everyone. No matter your age or ability, everyone is welcome on our Padel courts. You don’t have to have played tennis – or any other sport before – just grab a racket, a doubles partner, and away you go!

There’s no dress code on the Padel court – it’s all about wearing what you feel most comfortable in. We’d suggest some kind of sports kit and a comfy pair of trainers are a good place to start.

However, there are specific padel trainers that can better suit the playing surface – if you fancy buying some yourself, we’d recommend talking to one of the Padel coaches.

Just like squash, balls can be played off the walls. However, if the ball hits the wall or fence before it hits the playing field, this counts as a fault and a player loses the point. Only once the ball bounces, may it hit the wall once or more before it goes over the net to the other player.

Serve

• The point starts with a serve which, like in tennis, must be hit to the opposite square.
• The serve is under-hand, with a first and second serve allowed
• If the ball hits the net and bounces in the box, it is a let.

Play

• The ball must bounce on the ground before touching any structure and must then be returned before the second bounce.
• Players can use their own windows to return the ball.
• Volleys are permitted.

Scoring

• Exactly the same as tennis.
• Six games are needed to win a set, and the player (s) that win two sets are awarded the match.
• Players will play a 7 point tie-breaker if the score reaches 6 games all.

Padel balls have less pressure in them, compared to tennis balls, so they rebound off the walls slower, which helps give you more time to hit your shots. Padel balls are available to purchase at our Hyde Park and The Regent's Park venues.

Padel is typically played as 'doubles' with the smaller court and the higher speed of the game making it difficult to cover the court when playing on your own.

While there are a small number of courts in the UK designed for singles games, our Hyde Park and The Regent's Park courts are best played in pairs. 

Yes - most of our social tournaments are open to everyone. If you do want to compete at a tournament its a good idea to speak to the venue's Head Coach or a member of our staff, as sometimes they are invite only.