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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Those who object to music events shutting off parks are branded nimbys. But this time, I’m on their side (The Guardian)
Oscar winner Mark Rylance joins fight to stop music festivals turning London park into ‘prison camp’, (Independent, April 2025)
Parks are for all, not just paying festival goers, (The Guardian, May 2025)
Fresh legal challenge over Brockwell Park festivals as campaigners accuse council of 'silencing residents' (The Standard, May 2025)
Music festival postponed following backlash from residents (Kent Online, June 2025)
Lambeth council must be called out, festivals are causing huge amounts of damage to Brockwell Park, (LBC, May 2025)
Haringey Council warned over Finsbury Park festivals, (Enfield Independent, June 2025)
The mess in the park
March 2025
BBC Radio London interview with Friends of Finsbury Park Co-Chair Katie Dawson
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Council urged to stop ‘orgies’ at Finsbury Park (Haringey Community Press)
Residents call for Finsbury Park to close at night over sex and dru... (Evening Standard)
‘Lock up the park to stop sex in shrubs’ (Islington Tribune)
Finsbury Park 'ripped apart' by cruisers and drug users (Ham & High)
Finsbury Park Group urges Haringey Council to lock gates (Olay Gazette, English)
Fury in major UK city as popular park 'like Wild West' with orgies ... (Daily Express)
Finsbury Park: “A holiday destination for drug dealers” (Islington Now)
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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‘Skate plaza’ opens at Finsbury Park (Haringey Community Press)
Crowdfunder launched to revamp Finsbury Park skatepark (Islington Gazette)
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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Finsbury Park: call for 28-day limit on music events (Ham & High)
Private Companies Are Stealing Public Parks (Novara Media)
Fresh appeal for council to back down over hosting large events at Finsbury Park (Haringey Community Press)
Haringey council's controversial Wireless Festival five year deal to keep it at Finsbury Park (MyLondon)
Co-Chair of Friends of Finsbury Park (Tom Graham) on over-large events in parks, 2021 (Video)
New fencing appears, Wireless Steel Barriers Go Up, 2016 (Videos)
A view from the inside, 2016 (Video)
Friends Of Finsbury Park Object to Wireless Festival, 2016 (Video)