Aiwa Saito and her children are among the many families who were regulars at Barking Skatepark. But after they skated here for more than five years, London’s only full-size indoor skatepark closed on Sunday – to be replaced with padel courts.
Padel is one of the UK’s fastest-growing sports, according to the Lawn Tennis Association, and the plan to convert Barking Skatepark is the latest in a series of proposals across London. However, some plans that have sought to build pay-to-play padel courts on top of existing spaces have angered residents and sparked claims of “gentrification” and community displacement.
