Park news

The movement to reclaim public parks from creeping privatisation

July 2025

This year has seen a changing attitude towards the use of public parks in London for music festivals. It has been an automatic assumption in the past that festivals are great for young people and good for the local economy. But there has been a sea change this year which has been noted by many journalists who are starting to query the assumption. They are now talking much more about the loss of public access to green space, false economies and the damage they cause to vital nature spaces. Musicians need venues but we need a rethink about where is appropriate and causes least harm. The Council for Protection of Rural England is now calling for a radical rethink on where and how we host major festivals in densely populated urban cities.

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Skate Plaza opens

April 2024

The Friends of Finsbury Park raised £45k towards the project and Haringey Council provided additional funding of £145k. The Skatepark has attracted a whole new community, making Finsbury Park a more positive space for young people.

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Tough Mudder given marching orders

April 2023

Local residents have shared their anger at the predictable damage to the park caused by the Council’s decision to allow this year’s Tough Mudder event to proceed. No thought was given to cancelling or postponing the event, despite a prolonged period of heavy rain. Belatedly, the council has decided not to host the event going forward.

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Haringey’s major events policy

October 2024

‘A new way forward’ - our short video shows the after-effects of Haringey Council’s Major Events (parks) policy as applied in the summer of 2024, that linger  from their Events Season, with comments from local residents, plus a suggestion from the Friends for a new way forward.

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