Crystal Palace Badminton Hall: 10 Courts From £7.55 Off-Peak

The Crystal Palace National Sports Centre has been part of south London since 1964, a concrete landmark at the heart of Crystal Palace Park on the site where Victorian London once rebuilt the Great Exhibition's glass palace. Most visitors know it for athletics and swimming, but its two indoor halls hold ten badminton courts between them, and Better, which runs the centre, rents them by the session to anyone with a pay-as-you-go account. It is one of the few places in London where a casual game takes place inside a listed national arena.

Historic England lists the building at Grade II*, describing it as exceptional for the breadth of its vision, planned to serve serious performers from all nations as well as local enthusiasts. That dual purpose still shows. Elite squads train on the track and in the pool, while the same corridors carry juniors to swimming lessons and after-work players heading up to the courts. The concrete frame, raised walkways and long glass walls give the place an atmosphere unlike any council sports hall.

The original Crystal Palace itself burned down in 1936, and the sports centre was built close to its former site. The surrounding park still holds the 1854 dinosaur sculptures by the lake, the grand terraces where the palace stood, and the transmitter mast visible from much of London. Arriving through the park rather than straight from the station gives you a sense of how much history is packed into this corner of SE19 before you even reach the courts.

Better's facilities page lists two indoor spaces. The Main Arena measures 46 metres by 29.18 metres with a semi-sprung beech floor, seating for 1,500 spectators, and room for 6 badminton courts alongside basketball, volleyball and combat areas. The North Balcony is 32 metres by 17 metres on the same floor surface and fits 4 badminton courts. Between them the two halls give the centre ten courts, so depending on the session you may play under the arena's banked seating or up on the smaller balcony floor.

The semi-sprung beech floor is the reason serious players rate this venue. It gives a consistent feel for footwork and a reliable grip in non-marking shoes, which is not something every multi-use school hall can offer. The arena's height also helps on high clears, with plenty of space above the court for a full-length lift. Wear proper court shoes, because running shoes with thick soles feel slow on this surface and can mark a polished wooden floor.

The centre's price list is unusually clear. At peak times a 40-minute adult badminton slot costs £10.00 for non-members and £7.25 for members on pay-as-you-go. Off-peak, an adult hour costs £7.55 for non-members and £5.95 for members. Junior courts for players up to 16 cost £9.25 or £5.95 for 40 peak minutes, and £7.50 or £5.45 for an off-peak hour. Racket hire is £2.70 if you arrive without your own.

Peak runs Monday to Friday 6.30am to 9am and 4pm to 10pm, plus Saturday and Sunday 9am to 1pm. Off-peak covers Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday 1pm to 5pm. That makes a weekday lunchtime hour the best value in the building, a full sixty minutes for less than the price of the 40-minute evening slot. The centre is open Monday to Friday 6:30am to 10pm and Saturday and Sunday 8:30am to 5pm, so the last weekend courts finish early.

If you do not have a regular partner, look for No Strings Badminton on the timetable. It is a pay-and-play session for adults and seniors priced at £8.00 for both members and non-members, aimed at people who want a game without organising their own court and partners. It is the most direct route into the local scene for anyone new to south London, and a good way to meet players of a similar level before booking courts of your own.

Book through the Better app or website, choosing Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and the badminton activity. Give yourself time to find your hall, because this is a large building with an athletics stadium, indoor track, two pools and climbing wall all under the same roof, and the Main Arena and North Balcony are reached separately. The price list notes that poolside lockers take a 20p coin, which is not refunded, so keep one in your bag if you plan a swim after playing.

After a session, the obvious route is through the park towards the lake to see the Victorian dinosaurs, then up the old palace terraces where the sphinxes still guard the steps. On a clear evening the view from the top looks across south London towards the City. From there it is a short climb to the Crystal Palace Triangle, the cluster of streets formed by Westow Hill, Church Road and Westow Street, packed with independent shops, cafés and pubs.

Westow House at 79 Westow Hill is a large corner pub with a front terrace and rooms upstairs, a natural place to replace the calories after a few games of doubles. For a quieter stop, the small Crystal Palace Museum on Anerley Hill tells the story of the glass palace that once stood above the park. Both are within fifteen minutes on foot, which makes this one of the few badminton trips in London that easily turns into a half-day out.

Address: Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, Ledrington Road, Crystal Palace, London SE19 2BB. Getting there: Crystal Palace station on the London Overground and Southern is under five minutes away on foot. Centre hours: Monday to Friday 6:30am to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 8:30am to 5pm. Prices quoted come from Better's published price list for the centre, which separates non-member and pay-as-you-go member rates for every racket sport.

Bring court shoes, your own racket or £2.70 for hire, and shuttles. Book early for weekday evenings, when clubs use some of the courts and the athletics track draws its biggest crowds. If you want a longer game for less, pick the off-peak hour, and if you want company, pick No Strings Badminton. Either way, playing under the roof of this 1964 arena is a different experience from any other public hall in the capital.