Lee Valley VeloPark

As strange as it may sound, my visit to the velopark was nothing to do with cycling. It was the host venue for the Netball Superleague Preliminary finals. The building is modern, clean and well set up. A few food and drink places available, which were good but I didn't feel were set up to deal with demands of this event too well. Just before the game and at half time, there were huge queues meaning you weren't in your seat and you we're missing watching the game. For the type of event, I didn't feel it was the best venue. Obviously the seating being behind the cycle track means you're a long way from the action in the centre. Of course this is hardly the venues fault it's built as a velodrome not a netball arena! But overall a good experience, nice building and friendly staff. Unsure about parking facilities here for large events, so parked in Stratford International car park and walked through the village.

· via Google

The centre is such a hidden gem, i wish more people knew about it! Especially with Joseph as my son’s cycling instructor. He taught my son to ride a bike in just 45 minutes, which was amazing to watch. What really stood out was Joseph’s teaching style. Rather than simply giving instructions, he rides a bike alongside the children to demonstrate exactly what they should be doing, which I found incredibly effective. He gets down to their level, builds a genuine connection with them, and makes learning feel fun rather than intimidating. Despite teaching a group of children with different abilities, Joseph somehow ensures that every child receives individual attention. It genuinely feels like a one-to-one session. There are plenty of high-fives, lots of encouragement, and stickers to celebrate their achievements, which the children absolutely love. The sessions have become the highlight of my son’s week, and he looks forward to them every time. Another great bonus is the free on-site parking, which makes attending much easier. Just remember to enter your vehicle registration on the monitor inside when you arrive. I would highly recommend Joseph to any parent looking for a cycling instructor who is skilled, engaging, and genuinely passionate about helping children succeed.

· via Google

We’ve played pickleball here three times already, but our most recent experience was very disappointing. A friend had already warned us that one of the receptionists was very strict, so we made sure to follow all their rules properly, especially the “4 people per court” policy. To accommodate our group, I even booked two separate courts under different names. On top of that, we booked both courts for 3 hours each, and the courts are not cheap at £18.90 per hour. When my friend arrived early, the receptionist was already being rude. When the rest of our group arrived, she refused to let some of them in and wouldn’t even allow them to rent paddles, despite the fact that we were paying customers with confirmed bookings. Instead of making customers feel welcome, she made the whole experience uncomfortable and discouraging. What made it even more disappointing was how differently she treated people depending on who she was talking to. She seemed overly friendly and accommodating toward male customers, but was unnecessarily rude and difficult with us. The other receptionists we’ve encountered before were actually kind and professional, which makes this behavior stand out even more. For the price customers are paying, basic respect and professionalism should be expected. I hope management addresses this issue because the venue itself has potential, but experiences like this can easily drive customers away.

· via Google

What a brilliant time we had today on the Velodrome experience! Firstly, the staff, from reception, to the CAFE guy, to the very funny track equipment guy and the track coach lady were outstanding from the minute we arrived, to the minute we left. They were warm, professional, efficient, friendly. All of them without exception. The facility itself is fantastic. It is harder than expected both on the lungs and the thighs as you have to accelerate into and throughout the bends to keep on the track. The bikes were very good and the session a good pace with a nice free ride at the end. Very good value for money. Highly recommend.

· via Google