I'm going to go old-school Twitter and ask for some crowdsourced help: If you live near a London park that has lots of private fenced-off events, can you tell me if you think the site is out of bounds for 28+ days a year, inc setup/takedown? (I've been trying to get answers on this all weekend...) - ThreadSky

jim.londoncentric.media • 7 days ago

I'm going to go old-school Twitter and ask for some crowdsourced help: If you live near a London park that has lots of private fenced-off events, can you tell me if you think the site is out of bounds for 28+ days a year, inc setup/takedown?

(I've been trying to get answers on this all weekend...)

Reposted from Jim Waterson

MASSIVE legal verdict just in for festivals in London parks.... Questions over whether Mighty Hoopla and Field Day and can go ahead this month.... residents won legal challenge arguing they need planning permission... implications for all other London parks.
www.londoncentric.media/p/mighty-hoo...

Comments

tompowdrill.bsky.social•6 days ago

Right by Peckham Rye. Definite no.
Also - I suspect the same with other parks - these festivals do not take up the whole park.
Lived here / brought up our kids here since 2010 & have used the park *loads* - have never felt like events are too much / putting the park out of reach for locals.

joxley.jmoxley.co.uk•7 days ago

Victoria Park I'm fairly sure not.

typicalcowboybullshit.com•7 days ago

Not London, but my local park is absolutely fenced off for 28 days a year for a few days long event and I do think that it is a disgraceful use of public land. They are allowed a few days and then get around the rules because “clearly this is all necessary”. I hope the backlash comes up here too.

typicalcowboybullshit.com•7 days ago

Notleastofall a few years ago it rained and the main field was then destroyed and out of use for 2+ *years*

thetindrum.bsky.social•7 days ago

Will be interesting to know whether this kind of lack of access counts within the 28 days …

dannyt78.bsky.social•7 days ago

I live near Brockwell. I wouldn't describe it as totally 'out of bounds' - you can still go for a run/walk the dog around the perimeter. Crystal Palace park feels more closed off for its events as does Peckham Rye.

beccaji.bsky.social•7 days ago

Do you think so (re. CP)? The majority are on the top terrace which leaves the rest of the park untouched (and it's probably the least used part). We live very close and hardly notice. Brockwell feels different because it's much more in the middle near lido and bmx etc.

dannyt78.bsky.social•7 days ago

Yeah that's fair. It's just I'm used to doing the full loop with the dog so a part being blocked off hits a bit harder!

beccaji.bsky.social•7 days ago

Crystal Palace park is run by a trust so might be interesting to see if they have the same profit imperative as a council...

bluntspeaking.bsky.social•7 days ago

I used to live near Finsbury Park (moved five years ago) and large parts of the park were taken over by the Wireless Festival each summer, high steel walls, dog patrols, the lot. Check they president situation, but I'm sure it used to be more than 28 days

bluntspeaking.bsky.social•7 days ago

The Friends of Finsbury Park will have the grisly details.

paulboldrin.bsky.social•7 days ago

Thinking back to when my kids were little and I went to Finsbury Park almost every single day, I don't think it was ever closed off for more than 2 or 3 weeks at a time, but there were years when they had two different closures separated by a few weeks I think.

paulboldrin.bsky.social•7 days ago

Also I live now by Alexandra Park and the answer there is definitely no. Exceptionally efficient at building and removing the barriers (being cynical it's because they have to close the road).

benr.win•7 days ago

AFAIUI Alexandra Park is not owned by the council but by a charity / trust

davefernig.bsky.social•7 days ago

Can only tell you about Liverpool's Sefton Park. the answer is no.

soosie.bsky.social•7 days ago

Ally Pally has a fair few events that involve fencing off a chunk of the park - not sure it goes over 28 days, but even if it did, there is still plenty of space for people to use so I never think of it as a problem. Main inconvenience is when they close the road too I guess, but it's manageable.

matthewrandall.bsky.social•7 days ago

Never 28 days. I think it's fenced off 4-5 week-ends a year, maybe a bit more.

samindyk.bsky.social•7 days ago

I live right next to Peckham Rye and it's out of bounds for one weekend but takes about a week to set up and a few days after

yatesyman.bsky.social•7 days ago

Can't say for sure with Victoria park, largely cos the park is so big the site eats up maybe half the eastern side. Although I did hear the new licensing agreement expands capacity so that might change.

scottmccready.bsky.social•7 days ago

Nobody likes a grass, Steve.

yatesyman.bsky.social•7 days ago

Easy, I'm in favour of them – and I apprecaite the freebies for residents! But I don't see how *quadrupled* capacity, if it happens, could be manageable.

scottmccready.bsky.social•7 days ago

Only joking, grass away!

ldldn.bsky.social•7 days ago

Unless you're the kind of dweeb who monitors this sort of stuff every day, it's very difficult to claim 28+ days not having access. Clissold, London Fields, Finsbury Park all have events but they're sporadic. Victoria Park might be a problem for those locals tho.

hcsstweets.bsky.social•7 days ago

Trent Park in Cockfosters has a lot of events - country-based festivals, music festivals and other things. Only partially closed and probably not 28 days a year. Was some controversy a couple of years ago though do to some listed buildings getting damaged I think. Check with Friends of Trent Park.

mattdeaves.bsky.social•7 days ago

Victoria Park, is it 28 days? Maybe but probably a little less? But it’s about half the park at total and it’s the half of the park that never gets crowded so it doesn’t feel like “the park” is ever “out of bounds”

diamondgeezer.bsky.social•7 days ago

Victoria Park supposedly 2nd August to 3rd September for All Points East last year, which would be just over 28 days https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=451202187808685&set=pcb.10160995422281359

cwassermann.bsky.social•7 days ago

And they've added something in June this year as well I think?

crat3r.bsky.social•6 days ago

Yes, Lido Festival on 6th, 7th, 13th and 14th June so fences up for most of the month

eunicegoes.bsky.social•7 days ago

Kenwood in Hampstead around Christmas; but also around Aug-Sep with lots of festivals (including the FT festival). One particularity, I think Kenwood is managed by English Heritage or NT and Hampstead Heath is own by the corporation of London (so technically not a local park)

drchrisc.bsky.social•7 days ago

I don’t live near there but Hyde Park. Winter wonderland and the summer concerts. A very good chunk of the park is closed for months a year.

mrvimes.bsky.social•7 days ago

Very much not London , the Boucher Road Playing Fields in Belfast under council control haven’t had a sporting contest on them in 10+ years as concerts destroy them and they get repaired in time for the next gig!

harrywallop.co.uk•7 days ago

Finsbury Park – could not say for certain but fairly sure with funfairs and music festivals it is 28 days

follydodger.bsky.social•7 days ago

Agree with the overall time, but the funfair and circus generally don't take up nearly as much space as the festivals, which I can't be certain add up to 28 days themselves.

rachelmsavage.bsky.social•6 days ago

The festivals take up a lot of space, but when I lived there 5-6 years ago I found there was still space in other parts of the park to hang out, go for runs, etc. However, I did live on the opposite side of the park so can imagine living on the festival side being frustrating

fluffygrowler.bsky.social•7 days ago

I use Hyde Park the most, which obvs has big chunks closed off winter and summer - plus things like the Royal Parks half which I can never get a place to run in… I’m not sure how I feel about it - it’s a shared space so I get that I have to share it. I also want to run in it every week.

hgn-732b.bsky.social•6 days ago

Define "site" certainly the section of Hyde Park north of the eastern end of Serpentine road spends over 28 days a year inaccessible, but as a percentage of the total park area, it's going to be 20% at most.

jim.londoncentric.media•6 days ago

Yeah that feels like it counts.

thatneilmartin.bsky.social•7 days ago

Just looking through my photoroll, I used to walk to work through Regent's Park regularly -when Taste (and Frieze) were being set up, there would be fenced off bits from two weeks before, not 28 days. I have the 2017 photos so can date this :)

quincel.bsky.social•7 days ago

Is this for a single event or for all such events combined over the year?

nickcroom.bsky.social•7 days ago

Is it in one go or in aggregate?

(Although I don't know why I'm asking, you'd know as well as me about the rye)

cllrmarcfrancis.bsky.social•5 days ago

Victoria Park will have 2 separate periods of events this year after the Executive Mayor Lutfur Rahman effectively doubled the number of permitted days it can be used for commercial events. Opposition cllrs challenged that decision, but he pushed it thru regardless. I can provide details if helpful

jim.londoncentric.media•5 days ago

Yeah I think it’ll probably need planning permission now if I understand the dates correctly, separate to licensing.

cllrmarcfrancis.bsky.social•5 days ago

Yep, i have asked planning officers that question

threepeacesweet.bsky.social•7 days ago

I don’t think Victoria park is out for that long. A 2/3 weeks maybe

sharedground.bsky.social•6 days ago

Have you seen the proposals to increase capacity?

futurestand.bsky.social•7 days ago

Have you contacted the Friends of Wimbledon Park? https://www.friendsofwimbledonpark.org/about/about-fowp

gavincleaver.bsky.social•7 days ago

Southwark Park was definitely skirting the 28 day thing I think, until the K-Pop festival got cancelled. Rally festival in that park is probably 2-3 weeks total.

jonnyb69.bsky.social•7 days ago

The same general area of Hyde Park had 40 days for Winter Wonderland last year plus set up, plus BST (this year it is 16 days of concerts plus x days set up /break down) (and I think one off for Coronation). I have double checked Westminster planning records and no planning approval for WW or BST

anitachaudhuri.bsky.social•7 days ago

Regents Park has various events that close parts of it off - Frieze art fair, Taste of London etc.

moiness.bsky.social•7 days ago

I live in Sutton. We have 7 parks (off the top of my head) that get used for events. Nonsuch, St Helier, Rosehill, Carshalton Park, Cheam, Manor & and Beddington. I don’t think they would be used for that long in total. I have not included Fairs and Circuses.

dankuper.bsky.social•7 days ago

Finsbury Park for Wireless must be close to 28 days

alexsz.bsky.social•7 days ago

I walk my dog at Victoria park, it is more like the quarter of the park or less for a few weeks there. It is quite bearable. Hackney has so many parks that we can afford this easily.

leftoutside.bsky.social•7 days ago

amhoward.bsky.social•7 days ago

A South London update: Wandsworth and Tooting Commons don’t have fenced off events. Clapham Common has in recent years had a fenced off section for most of the summer.

jonnyb69.bsky.social•7 days ago

Tooting Common has a country festival this year but only two days

sonofhal.bsky.social•7 days ago

Victoria Park expanding to 2 big events this year (Lido and All Points East). Both over 2 weekends (June and Aug). Would be amazed if all that came in at under 28 days inc set up/take down (or does it have to be 28 continuous days?)

cwassermann.bsky.social•7 days ago

It's 28 days within the year I think so doesn't need to be continuous.

cwassermann.bsky.social•7 days ago

In Vicky Park there are now two periods this year - in June and August. The event itself in June runs for 10 days (6-15 inclusive) and August event for 9 (16 - 24). So it seems likely that including set up and breakdown it will be over 28 days in total as it must take more than two days each side.

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