Sport on Clapham Common: what to book and what is free
Pitches, tennis courts and cricket nets are booked and paid for. The skate park and outdoor gym are the open-access options.
By Clapham London Editorial
Short version: football pitches, tennis courts and cricket nets on Clapham Common all need booking and payment in advance. The skate park and the outdoor gym do not appear to need a booking. Here is how each one works.
Football and other pitch sports
The grass pitches on the Common can be booked for 5, 7, 9 and 11-a-side football, touch rugby, cricket, softball, Australian rules football and multi-use open space. Lambeth Council is responsible for the Common and runs the bookings. The pitch address is Windmill Drive, SW4 9DE.
It is a request, not an instant booking. On the council booking page you press “Book now”, choose the date, activity and time, pick junior or adult pricing, log in or register and submit. A council team member then contacts you to confirm and arrange payment. Requests are subject to availability. For regular or block bookings, email parkssportsbookings@lambeth.gov.uk. Block bookings may be exempt from VAT.
The 2026/27 grass-pitch charges on the council charges page:
- Adult, 90 minutes: £108
- Junior, 60 minutes (5, 7, 9 and 11-a-side): £57
- AFL, Try Tag and touch rugby: £107 per 90-minute match
- Multi-use open space: £57 per hour
The council says pitch-sport facilities in its parks need to be pre-booked before use. Hire a Pitch says nets and flags are not provided, and changing rooms are listed for the site.
If you want a pitch with a different setup, Archbishops Park has 3G pitches (one 9v9, two 7v7 and three 5v5), bookable through Active Lambeth.
Tennis
There are 8 courts on the south side of the Common, 5 of them floodlit, and they are pay and play. It is the largest of Lambeth’s 11 public tennis sites. Clapham South tube is a five-minute walk, and LTA says pay-and-display parking is close by.
You must book online before you play, through ClubSpark. The rules:
- Book up to 7 days ahead
- Maximum of 2 hours per court per day
- You need a ClubSpark account
- One to four people can use a court
- Equipment is not supplied
- Do not book a non-floodlit court for after dark
On price, the Tennis in Lambeth terms give £8 or £12.50 per hour, per court. Check the booking page for the rate that applies to your slot before you pay. Barclays Local Tennis Leagues (18+, mixed singles and doubles) are also listed for the Common.
Cricket nets
The nets are bookable through ClubSpark at £10 per hour. For comparison, Lambeth says the nets in Brockwell Park are free with no booking.
Skate park
The skate park is at 10 Rookery Road, SW4 9DD, on the Common. It was refurbished and opened in January 2012, mostly concrete with a small tarmac section and metal ramps. It is split into two sections, with a tarmac outer featuring ledges and rails. RideMyPark lists banks, a bowl, a mini ramp, ledges, rails, stairs and manual pads, and says skaters, BMX riders, inline skaters and scooter riders all use it.
No booking system or charge turns up for it, and it sits within a park GoParks describes as always open. No official hours are listed, so look at the signs on site.
Outdoor gym
Outdoor Gym Hub lists a free outdoor gym on Windmill Drive, SW4 9DE, open 24/7 for users aged 14 and over. Equipment includes a leg press, bench, chest press, seated row, cross trainer, dips station and leg raise. There is no booking.
Calisthenics listings also point to pull-up bars, parallel bars and low bars on the Common, and one hobbyist guide says the calisthenics area gets busy and noisy in the evenings.
The quick version
- Pitches: request through Lambeth, £57 to £108 a slot.
- Tennis: book on ClubSpark up to 7 days ahead, £8 or £12.50 an hour.
- Cricket nets: ClubSpark, £10 an hour.
- Skate park: no booking mentioned, Rookery Road, SW4.
- Outdoor gym: free, Windmill Drive, SW4, 14 and over.
