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Day festivals are part and parcel of summer in London. For a few weeks a year parks all over the city are transformed into hubs of music, culture and revelry. Some locals don’t love it, but for others it’s one of the best things about living in the capital.
Now two mostly untouched green spaces in the capital are being considered for hosting ‘income-generating activities’ and a potential ‘disposal of assets’, although an outright sale of land has been ruled out.
Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest have been marked by the City of London Corporation as spaces that could be good for potential money-making schemes in London. The corporation, which is the sole trustee for a charity that manages eight of London’s green spaces, is assessing the parks in an attempt to make them profitable.
A recent investigation by London Centric revealed leaked plans to make money from the Heath, including ticketed festivals and raised prices for the ponds and lido. The report added that 11,000 acres of historic open spaces including Epping Forest, Highgate Wood, and West Ham Park could all be used in future for generating income.
‘Each park will be asked to generate the absolute maximum money it can make privately, short of just selling the land,’ an anonymous person who has seen the plans told London Centric.
A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation told Camden New Journal: ‘For over 150 years, the City Corporation has been the proud conservator and corporate trustee for some of the UK’s most treasured green spaces.
‘With 47 million visitors a year, our open spaces charities have long generated income from a range of sources to meet growing demand. To ensure their long-term sustainability, a review is being carried out to strengthen their funding models and governance.
‘This will give them greater flexibility to operate, generate and retain income, invest in conservation, and enhance services. It will ensure they have a resilient future, and continue to thrive as places of natural beauty and community benefit.
‘We remain committed to protecting and preserving these sites forever – they are a lifeline for so many, and we will continue to invest in them and champion their future.’
Campaigners have launched a legal challenge against music festivals in Brockwell Park.
West London now has a huge new 2,800-capacity venue from the creators of Printworks.
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