The UK skate scene
Histories of the UK's skateparks, scenes and magazines, from the 1970s boom to today. Researched from published sources and written up for skaters, with the sources listed on every page. Were you there? Each page has space for your memories.
Places
The parks and spots that shaped UK skating.
London · 1970s–presentSouthbank UndercroftThe covered concrete space under the Queen Elizabeth Hall has been skated since the 1970s, and skaters fought off a plan to turn it into shops in 2013–14.
Hornchurch · 1978–presentThe RomBuilt in 1978 in Hornchurch, the Rom is the most complete 1970s skatepark left in Britain and in 2014 became the first listed skatepark in Europe.
Livingston · 1981–presentLivi SkateparkScotland's oldest skatepark, opened in Livingston in 1981 and famous for its deep Double Bowl, became the country's first listed skatepark in 2024.
Wealdstone, Harrow · 1978–presentHarrow SkateparkHarrow's 1978 'Solid Surf' park, with its keyhole pool, is one of only two 1970s shotcrete parks in Britain still being skated.
Glasgow · 1978–1983Kelvin Wheelies, GlasgowScotland's first big concrete skatepark opened in Kelvingrove Park in 1978, hosted the first Scottish championships, was buried by 1983 and dug up again in 2025.
Portsmouth · 1978–presentSouthsea SkateparkBuilt on an old seafront roller rink and opened in 1978, Southsea is one of the oldest skateparks still running and the long-time home of UK vert.- Northampton · 1992–2004Radlands, NorthamptonThe Ince family's warehouse park in Northampton, open from 1992 to 2004, hosted the UK championships and was the indoor home of Tom Penny's generation.
Eras
How UK skateboarding changed, decade by decade.
- 1977–1983The 1970s boom and the great closuresUrethane-wheel skating hit Britain hard in 1977, concrete parks sprang up everywhere, and within a few years nearly all of them had shut, been filled in or flattened.
Milton Keynes · 2002–2012The Buszy and the skate plazasIn 2005 Milton Keynes turned its old bus station into The Buszy, often called the world's first purpose-built skate plaza, and street-style plazas followed across Britain.
Magazines and media
The mags and videos that spread it.
Got a scene we're missing?
Your town's park, the crew, the shop everyone hung out at: tell us about it, or add the spot to the map.