Big Squid 5* PADI Scuba Diving Training in London & Portland Dorset
Big Squid
Big Squid offers scuba diving courses in London and Portland, Dorset — including a full range of PADI qualifications, equipment sales and hire, and an active dive club.
Our London training is based at Clapham Leisure Centre, convenient for Clapham North tube and Clapham High Street overground. We also operate from Portland, Dorset.
Latest News
Pool sessions are on 7th 21st and 25th October. We also have a diving day at Wraysbury Lake on the 25th October ; all are welcome. Our next dive club night is Tuesday, 6th October, at the Clapham Tap. Spaces are still available on the Swanage Dive Trip on the 18th October. Big Squid Merchandise is now available, including hoodies and t-shirts, and Birthday Gift Vouchers are available too.
Trips for 2026/2027 are listed here.
Wraysbury Dive days are listed here
Scuba Equipment Hire
Additionally a wide range of diving equipment is available for hire, from full sets of kit including, drysuits and individual items.
Scuba Equipment Servicing
We service most brands of dive equipment and most items including, regulators, BCD’s, cylinders as well as dive computers and drysuits.
Scuba Diving Gift Vouchers
Scuba Diving Gift Vouchers are available and can be used for courses, travel or equipment.
Used Scuba Equipment Sales
A large selection of used scuba equipment which is in excellent condition is available for purchase.
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Our Reviews..
Christopher Powers
1 week ago
Great experience with John, Jerry, and the Big Squid team. Professional and safety-oriented but also make diving a lot of fun.
Sara Monroy Valencia
1 month ago
I had an exceptional experience diving with the Big Squid team. I did my very first dive in the UK with them. From the start everything was smoth and reasurring, communication, amount of information, how easy the process was, what they offer, etc. Then on the day I was assigned my budy and a dive master took care of us during the day. After the dive they also took care of me, reached out via email and made sure I share my thoughts with them.
My experience was both rewarding and professional. I want to repeat diving with them and keep in touch with this team.
vlad kuriyanov
1 month ago
Very pleasant diving with Big Squid, - pleasure as always, - very friendly and helpful staff.
Lucy A
2 months ago
My son (aged 10) and I learnt to dive with Big Squid. It was a safe, supportive, and enjoyable experience, especially due to our fantastic instructor Chris. We love diving now and return back the Big Squid crew to brush up our skills before each new diving expedition. Thanks team!
Ben Taylor
3 months ago
Big Squid is the best. John is a superb teacher and he's built something really special: a first-rate dive centre and a genuinely welcoming club. I've made so many friends at the monthly socials and the regular dive trips John organises in the UK and abroad. I feel lucky to be part of it.
steven pennycook
1 year ago
A great place to shop
Georgi Aleshanov
1 year ago
Possibly the best shop you could pick in London. Great team of experienced and patient instructors and solid training every time, with real focus on safety, as you’d expect from a serious operation. Whether you’re diving for fun or training, or coming for the socials, you’ll be surrounded by experienced divers, ready to share their tips. They only work with new and top quality equipment, always well maintained. Having done multiple certifications and dive trips with them now, and having tried other London shops in parallel for comparison over the years, I can’t recommend BigSquid enough.
Rosalind
1 year ago
I have purchased equipment from Big Squid for several years. John has always provided excellent recommendations and advice.
Philip Smith
2 years ago
Did the reactivate course which was fantastic. The instructor was excellent and we had time at the end to do some extras. Would happily recommend Big Squid. They are extremely professional.
A Badr
2 years ago
Great service, John is super friendly and the instructors are great. A nice social group in the heart of clapham with a monthly social gathering.
Ed Boughton
2 years ago
Needed a dive watch battery replaced last minute (3 days before my holiday) and John was able to do it same day in 90 minutes, pressure and sensor tested and all!
Great spot and couldn’t recommend more highly - I will be back!
Peter Saunders
3 years ago
John owner and service manager is not only welcoming but engages in a personable relaxed professional manner.He was able to identify the specific problem and explain to me how it arose in a knowledgeable and understanding way.
Once serviced and collected he then without time restraints explained why certain components were replaced and then carried out certain tests in my. presence
Thankyou John and I need not look eklswhere if I need another service
Jodie Tapscott
3 years ago
I only had 8 open water tropical dives under my belt when Big Squid taught me to cold water Dry Suit dive in Portland! John, Kevin, Maria and the crew were great instructors. Taught me well in tough conditions and 6 mths later I was out diving with them and the seals 🦭 at Lundy Island. Great teachers and lovely welcoming dive club!
Lorena Oberg (Lorena Oberg Skincare)
3 years ago
I took my second hand equipment to be serviced. They were very helpful. Sadly later had issues with the servicing (these things are outsourced so it's not directly their fault). They immediately got on it and eventually refunded me.
It's my opinion that a business shows how good they are when there are problems. Handled beautifully and highly recommend
Jérémie Girand
3 years ago
Worked with BigSquid to get an open water referral.
Amazing experience, nice people, really know their stuff.
Shamz Uddin
3 years ago
I’ve yet to have an opportunity to dive with Big Squid but when I went in asking for help with my SSI account, John was extremely helpful and supportive making phone calls and sending emails to help me fix an issue with my account. I will no doubt be diving with Big Squid in the future just going by how great the customer service is
David Glenville
3 years ago
Debbie Seaton
4 years ago
Just visited here for the first time, can't recommend it highly enough, very helpful, very knowledgeable, great prices and very generous. Thank you for your help John
Greg Szasz
4 years ago
We did the practical part of the EFR certification with Big Squid. John was responsive and helpful through the booking process, and we quickly locked down the details for the course.
The location at Clapham was convenient and easy to reach, and the course took place at their cozy unit.
Kevin was the instructor, who explained everything clearly and was super helpful. He and John (his live demonstration dummy!) showed us the skills, and we walked through them together effortlessly.
Leona
4 years ago
Big thank you to John and his colleagues Mattewos and Jerry. I had a fantastic time. They were very patient as it took me time to get to grips with it as I was doing my padi open water so new to diving. I had a really good time and they were very supportive, informative and great teachers. Thank you!
Lindsey Scott
4 years ago
Great dive store and club! John did a great job and quick turnaround servicing my regulators this week. Always great trips away too 🙂
Siona Tomlinson
4 years ago
Amazing customer service. John couldn’t have been more helpful and kind.
Tom Spanswick
4 years ago
I've just completed my Open Water referral course with Big Squid and couldn't recommend it more highly with the team. John, Phil and the rest of the team were super friendly, highly knowledgeable and made the diving experience one to remember. I'll definitely be returning to do some more courses with them!
Nicolas Bonnet
5 years ago
I would give them 6 stars if I could. Very professional, knowledgable and friendly staff. Went there for my Open Water referral. 5 awesome training sessions where I learnt a lot with John and his team (Phil, Kevin). I never thought diving in London would be so fun. And I will definitely continue diving with them 👍🏻
Becky Rowe
5 years ago
Have really enjoyed getting to know Big Squid over the last year or so. Super friendly and welcoming group of people. Great trips (don't miss Lundy!) Just completed my Rescue Diver course with them. Great fun!
Christina Matawa
5 years ago
I also could not recommend John and his team highly enough. The communication before and during the dive weekend was excellent and very professional, the equipment was the best I've ever had, the team were friendly and accommodating and also made the experience fun and less daunting for me, joining for the weekend by myself. Thank you!!
Natalie Brooks
5 years ago
Just finished an equipment speciality course with Big Squid. John made the entire experience really interesting and fun, it is great to actually finish a course and know I've learned things! Definitely recommend Big Squid for any of your diving needs, the team are great and really go out of their way to help.
Karine Tereszkiewicz
6 years ago
great team, Tania was my teacher for the confined session and she was brilliant, patient and we had lots of fun, The sessions are done in pool in clapham or dulwich, great facilities for both. John communicates all the information to go there, Covid security etc. before each session via email.This is really professional , with a really friendly vibes. Highly recommend! Thanks a lot!
Helen stewart
6 years ago
Really lovely dive shop. Friendly and personable
TMC Services Ltd
6 years ago
Excellent help and support from John. I am an Air Gunner and ordered my 300bar air cylinder from them and have regularly taken back for re-fills and repairs when I damaged the pressure gauge. Would highly recommend
Bashkim Isai
6 years ago
My preferred dive shop in London - great prices, excellent service, always gives you a good deal and expert advice. Would recommend to any diver
Adrian Mullins
6 years ago
I've got my dive kit from here for many years. They're always able to price match any of the online dive kit retailers but the benefit is you get a friendly, knowledgeable diver to offer expert assistance. I can't recommend Big Squid highly enough.
Di Xu
7 years ago
Big squid is a great centre to do course and fun-dive with! John has built up a community of very experienced instructors and dm over the years that you can learn and dive with.
Everyone is super friendly and logistics is always well-organised!
Rachel H
7 years ago
Great dive team at Big Squid - brilliant instructors. Really good courses. I cannot recommend them highly enough!!!
Michael Gallagher
7 years ago
Brilliant service! Highly recommended. All dive shops should be so customer friendly.
michael kearns
7 years ago
Went in to buy a mask lovely fella,very helpfully not pushy at all gave me great advice on masks,had a lovely chat booked my scuba refresher course with them which I’d highly recommend,and he gave me a book free off charge on diving in the Philippine s, just a great experience,came out with a smile on my face,
Great shop great staff.
Thank you Big Squid
Katie Tomsett
7 years ago
Couldn’t be happier with my experience here. I said I didn’t want to spend too much and every effort was made to ensure I got the best quality equipment at the lowest price. Great service and great location - I’ll definitely be back!
Sarah Turner
11 years ago
I've just finished the Open Water Referral course and my experience has been excellent. The instructors were all very friendly and extremely competent which put the whole group at ease for the pool dives. I felt very safe and relaxed. The Knowledge Development session was also excellent and the instructor again put us all at ease creating a great learning environment with lots of Q&A and discussion. I feel completely equipped to go on to the Open Water dives.
I would definitely recommend Big Squid to anyone wanting to learn to dive.