Turns out there’s a bunch of places all over London you can learn to skate, who knew? So I’ve trawled the depths of the web and brought you a full list all in one place (so you don’t have to trawl the depths of the web).
Where can you learn to skate in London? At least five different places in London offer either in person learning or even online video training in skating, you can even graduate at different levels. Lessons cater the young, the old, beginners and more advanced skaters.
So, starting in a completely random order here they are:
Skatefresh – London, Brighton, Online
Skatefresh has lessons in London and Brighton, as well as offering other skate based services like Hen parties and kids parties.
They state they’ll help you reach your skate goals faster from losing weight to skating the Berlin Marathon.
Locations:
Hyde Park and other various parks in London
Hove Lawns skating area, Brighton
Levels and Lessons Provided:
Many levels and different types of lessons on offer:
- Beginner
- Improver
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Kids club
- Private lessons
- Street
- 1 Day Intensive
Online Courses
Skate Fresh also offers professional video tuition, and you can sign up for the free trial online:https://inlineskatecourse.com/
Asha will train you, and her claim to competence (and fame?) is she trained Disney’s “Soy Luna” actors to become expert skate dancers in record time (mostly via video). She’s an examiner for the inline certification program (who knew that existed!).
How much?
London classes are more expensive than the Brighton classes.
London: From £40 and up basically, with £45 for the beginners lessons – they are three hour lessons however. Some other lessons like the “street” (£90) or certain private lessons can stretch to a few times that. Although notably you can get a private lesson of an hour for £35.
Brighton: All classes in Brighton are between £10 – £15.
Website
London Skate Life – London Park & Urban
Billing themselves as more than just providing skate lessons, but offering a whole community of skaters across London. The instructors featured on the About page reflect a clear wealth of passion and experience of skating, having been there from the early days and continuing now to help keep the skate culture alive.
Levels and Lessons Provided
London Skate Life provide both group and private lessons for a range of skaters from first-timers up to advanced urban skaters. They also offer guidance to find what level you’re at here.
- Level 1 and 2-First Timer and Beginner (Stage 1)-Park
- Level 3- Improver (Transition between Stage 1 and 2)-Park
- Level 3 and 4-Improver and Elementary (Stage 2) – Urban
- Level 5 and 6-Intermediate and Advanced (Stage 3) – Urban
Locations
Hyde Park, Battersea Park, Victoria Park, Central London (urban).
How Much?
From £20 for one 75 minute group class, up to £80 a month allowing you to come to 2 classes a week.
Private lessons start from £25 for 1 student under 16 years old for an hour, and increase a little for adults and more advanced.
Website
London Skaters
Be taught by a speed skating coach, Mike Van Erp who’s been teaching skating for over 15 years. He provides lessons for a range of abilities.
You’ll definitely need knee pads and guards to be allowed to take part in these lessons (it is probably possible to rent these from nearby Slick Willies).
Levels and Lessons Provided
Stated as “all levels” from beginners to advanced. As Mike’s a speed skate instructor if you’re in to this sort of skating obviously it’s a great fit.
Lessons are private or group.
At one stage Mike offered a skating practice club but this isn’t currently live.
Locations
By the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park.
How Much?
From £40 per hour for a private 1-on-1 lesson, to £50 for a 3 hour group session, and options for special couple packages.
Website
London Skate Crew
Offering a wide range of lesson types from beginners to slightly more advanced, but including dance / jam, and skills specific workshops, as well as roller derby lessons.
From private to group, and also providing performance and TV production services if you happen to be a TV show in need of skaters.
Levels and Lessons Provided
- Beginner – Start skating, stop, turn and go
- Improver – Improved skating strides, improved turns and stops. Must be able to skate, stop and turn
- Intermediate – More varied skating styles, stops and turns
- Advanced – Advanced skating styles, turns and stops
- Forward crossovers – Must be competent skater
- Skating backwards – Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
- Dance / Jam Skating – Mixed group
- Dance / Jam Skating – Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
- Skate Skills for Roller Derby – Beginner to Intermediate
- Skate Skills for Roller Derby – Intermediate to advanced
Locations
As always, check the lesson itself as lessons take place in many places.
Hyde Park: There are a number of meeting points in Hyde Park including The Beach, The Boat House and Hyde Park Corner.
Kensington Gardens: The Albert Memorial on Price Consort Drive
Battersea Park
How Much?
From £18.75 (very specific!) and above.
Website
SkateTone – On Funzig
Okay, this is more of an “experience” website, but it would be nice to mention the SkateTone who provides fun roller skate lessons mixed with fitness. Designed by PlayTone’s master instructor Tinuke Orbit, a performer with Starlight Express and Marawa’s Majorettes. It’s a low impact, high-intensity class with games and tricks. Beginners are welcome.
Levels and Lessons Provided
1 lesson type which is the fun fitness class provided, but all levels are welcome.
Locations
Great Suffolk Street, London, SE1 0BL
How Much?
£13 per person per lesson
Website
London Skate Centre
According to their website they offer both ice and inline skating lessons. However looks like you’ll have to get in touch with them directly to arrange and find out more. They don’t provide any prices, times or other information on their site.
Locations
The London Skate Centre is above Hyde Park, at 27 Leinster Terr. London W2 3ET
Website
Learn to Skate Online – E-Learning Option
The inline certification program has been around for a while and is all about teaching people to skate. It’s the body that helps develop inline skating instructors and has been around for more than 25 years.
They also offer their own E-learning training actually, so this is an option if you want to learn remotely.
Levels and Lessons Provided
- Beginning Inline Skating Instruction
- Speed Skating Basics
- The Confident Beginner Skater
- Blade Fitness
- Promoting Skating, Developing Skaters
- Games for Children
- The Confident Advanced-Beginner Skater
- The Confident Intermediate Skater
- The Confident Advanced-Intermediate Skater
Locations
All around the world (because you’re using your computer…)
Website