In this article, we will guide you through the top skate spots across the UK. Whether you prefer street skating or park skating, join us as we explore historic locations and hidden treasures.
Folkstone 51
Folkestone 51 stands out as the world’s first purpose-built multi-storey skatepark. F51’s design, location, and concept aim to revolutionize our perception of urban spaces and how sports facilities can be integrated into them.
Folkestone is comprised of three levels: The Bowl Floor, The Street Floor, and The Flow Floor.
The bowl floor hosts the world’s first concrete suspended bowls. It includes features like pool coping, tiles, oververt, skateable pillars, and extensions. Maverick Skateparks were responsible for its design and engineering.
The street floor encompasses 700 square meters of skateable timber, offering a variety of street-inspired obstacles such as stair sets, ledges, handrails, and more. This area was designed and engineered by Cambian Action Sports.
The flow floor covers 650 square meters of skateable timber, featuring volcanoes, waterfalls, blends, skateable pillars, and hips.
Pitt Street Skatepark in Portsmouth
Pitt St. is an indoor skatepark located in Portsmouth, housed in a former Sainsbury’s Supermarket.
Long-time skateboarder and founder of Pitt Street Skatepark, Jacob Skinner, expressed: “As a child, skateboarding was my outlet, and I want to provide others with the opportunity to use it positively. We are truly passionate about changing the perception of skateboarding within the community. It's also crucial to remember that you are never too old to skate. We aim to unite the community through this venue and encourage people of all ages to participate.”
Pitt St Skatepark is open to all types of riders, including BMX riders, Inliners, Quad Skaters, Scooter Riders, and Skateboarders. The park features ramps, rails, and ledges, complemented by the smooth floors of the former supermarket.
Southbank in London
For many, Southbank Skatepark is considered the birthplace of British skateboarding and has served as a haven for skateboarders and graffiti artists for more than 40 years. In 2014, it caught media attention when redevelopment plans threatened its existence. However, it was vigorously defended by skaters and local enthusiasts through theLong Live South Bank campaign and won.
Although the area has been reduced over time, it still offers a smooth street section with a 7-stair, a small whippy quarter pipe, and a selection of ledges and banks. Additionally, there is a railing to prevent tourists from getting too close and obstructing the skaters. The area is also equipped with lighting and is sheltered from rain.
Dean Lane in Bristol
Known locally as the ‘Deaner’, Dean Lane is one of the UK’s original skateparks from the 1970s when skateboarding first surged in popularity. It remains a favored spot today. Its rough DIY transitions are built into a hill, and the cracks and imperfections make it more challenging to skate than modern parks, contributing to its reputation. As the locals say, “Nothing meaner than the Deaner.”
Dean Lane consists of two flat banks, a series of ramps, and curved banks. It includes bowled corners, a large pump bump, and a mini ramp with one bowled edge and an open side on the other. Its layout is distinct from many newer parks, being more focused on transitions.
Projekts in Manchester
Projekts MCR was established in 2004, transforming unused land under a busy flyover into a crucial space for Manchester’s skateboarding community.
Projekts MCR Skatepark welcomes riders of skateboards, scooters, inlines, rollerblades, and BMXs. They provide a variety of skateboard classes for all ages and skill levels, including adult-only classes on Wednesday evenings and women and girls-only classes on Thursday evenings. They also offer kids-only classes on weekends and sessions for home-educated children on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday during term time. In addition, they run a class specifically for roller skates and inlines on Monday evenings. If group lessons are too much or not enough, private lessons and beginner-friendly holiday sessions are also available.
The park is divided into two sections: a large concrete plaza and a smaller concrete park with additional transitions. The plaza section includes rails, ledges, banks, and quarters. The smaller park section offers a wider array of transitions with hips and transfers, as well as some ledges and smaller rails, arranged in a square layout that promotes flow.
