The gates to Primrose Hill will once again be closed at night over weekends this summer, dividing locals between those angry at visitors to the park who “urinating in people’s gardens” and residents calling the closure “invasive”. Starting last Friday (April 5), the park will be closed during British Summer Time (BST) months on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from 10pm to 6am.
The Royal Parks, the charity that is responsible for managing Primrose Hill, said the closures “follow the same schedules implemented over the past three years during the BST daylight savings period, as the park gets busier during the warmer months.” The closures were first introduced in a bid to stop anti-social behaviour in the area.
Residents have complained of excessive noise, litter and an increase in crime in the park over the summer months. The closures however have sparked debate from some residents who disagree with the restrictions.
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“People who live right by here get really annoyed about the noise. People also throw everything they don’t need, or they don’t want any more on the floor or in the grass [rather than using bins]. It’s detrimental to the other visitors,” said Leonor Trowni, a local resident.
This policy has been introduced over the past three years, and has been reintroduced after the Royal Parks surveyed Primrose Hill locals over closing the park. The survey, done in December 2022, discovered that 13.1 per cent of people were in favour of this specific decision to close between 10pm and 6am Friday to Sunday. The results also showed 53.6 per cent of people surveyed wanted some variation on these weekend park closures, with a further 23.2 per cent wanting restrictions only for exceptional circumstances or events.
Former Channel Four news reader Jon Snow lives in the area and has told the BBC why he disagrees with the restrictions. He said: “I am often out after 10pm with my dog and I have never seen any evidence of serious problems. There is no reason why Royal Parks should spend the very little money they have on shutting the park. It’s thoroughly invasive.”
Other residents have claimed that the pandemic has worsened the problem, as the park became a popular meeting place for young people. It has evolved into a hotspot for parties, especially in the summer. Tarquin Kyle, who also lives in the area, said: “They should lock [the park] at least on the weekends, over the summer. It was very bad over Covid.
“I live very close. I used to walk my dog here and the noise was unbelievable. They have beatboxes and stereos, and they’re urinating in people’s gardens.”
Temporary fences have been put up to deter night-time visitors, but the metal barriers are moved by trespassers in order to get through. This was also happening last year and so The Royal Parks has put forward planning permission for more permanent gates in the park.
A spokesperson from The Royal Parks said they “[work] closely with the Metropolitan Police, which is responsible for enforcing any response to crime or antisocial behaviour”.
The spokesperson added: “Over the past few years, this pattern of weekend closures has proved successful in managing challenges posed by overnight use and, as such, the continuation of these arrangements provides a proportionate response to manage the risk of similar issues occurring in the future.”
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