Manchester Tennis and Racquets Club

If you’ve ever wondered what came before tennis and squash, head to the Manchester Tennis and Racquets Club to find out. This membership club has been on Blackfriars Road, Salford since Victorian times (1880 to be exact) and some of the games you can play there have barely changed since.

It’s one of the few clubs in the country where you can play ‘real tennis’ and ‘racquets’, the precursors to modern day lawn tennis and squash. These sports were popular with the nobility and upper-classes, which makes the country house-style decor of this club seem particularly appropriate. With polished furnishings, velvet-covered chaise longues, and mounted stag heads, it’s a far cry from your local leisure centre.

That said, the club also offers the next generation of racquet sports; padel and pickleball, so you can’t accuse it of being stuck in the past. If you’re curious, and want to know more, book an introductory session through their website.