The owner of a Hampstead Heath café says he is seeking legal advice after losing his lease to Daisy Green, a decision which generated a petition signed by more than 24,000 people.
Patrick Matthews is the co-owner of Parliament Hill Lido Café, along with his business partner Emma Fernandez.
They have run the café for about 10 years.
He says in was in complete shock when he learned that the City of London Corporation had declared multiples café leases to Daisy Green.
“It was not at all what I had been expecting,” he explained to City News.
A petition was created in aims to keep the café operators in place and prevent changes to the central community.
The petition was backed by roughly 15,000 people in early January.
That number has since grown to over 24,000 signatures in recent weeks.
Mr. Matthews believes that the decision is completely unfair.
“The City both morally and legally has a duty to consult, and we don’t believe the City did consult,” he says. “All the evidence we have, is that the City did not do a job of finding out what the customers and users of these open spaces wanted.”
It’s more than just a café. It’s the central piece of the larger community.
Mr. Matthews says the café has been successful because a year-long café was not previously available in the park.
He says, “We have people from all over who come to the café. We have a community that’s very well-connected, and it covers a very wide range of people. That is its charm.”
Mr. Matthews says that the row, which unfolded on December 19th, has been very stressful for his team.
“The support for existing cafes has been far from what I could’ve expected. There’s been strong emotions all around, but this sort of intense discovery of how people love what we do.”
Reverend Andrew Kwapong of St. Martin’s Church, Gospel Oak blessing the café members [Credit: Patrick Matthews]
Cafés, Contracts, and Conflicts
While the leases announced to Daisy Green are recent, this conflict dates back to late 2015 and early 2016.
The City of London Corporation attempted to remarket the cafes and aimed to bring in a chain called Benugo.
Similarly to the current row, there was massive opposition.
A café working group was created to work with the community and reflect their wishes for future attempts.
This current decision also affects cafés in Golders Hill Park, Parliament Hill, and Queen’s Park.
“It’s a part of our lives.”
Mr. Matthew believes the row depicts the struggles currently affecting Londoners.
“I feel that London is choking on the effects of high rents, and that people just generally dislike this process,” he said. “London is great in lots of ways, but it’s also about extracting our money from our assets, almost to the point of destroying those assets.”
He added that experiences at Parliament Hill Lido Café have been key to his life.
“As a family, it’s been massively important. We have had small children who have been in and around the café for many years. We have completed lots of community work, and it’s been completely central to our lives. Losing that connection would be a great loss.”
Save Lido Café Poster Sale, [Credit: @lido.cafe via Instagram]
Preparing for the next step
Ms. Fernandez and Mr. Matthews said they would prefer to talk to the City of London Corporation, but are now taking proper legal advice.
The team at Parliament Hill Lido Café were originally supposed to be out on the second of February.
Last week, they were able to officially secure a three week postponement with legal assistance.
“We have fantastic legal help,” he says. “They got a postponement for three weeks from when when we had a reply from the City, which was last week.
“In theory, we’re facing eviction on the third of March. What we’re working on now is the refinement of the legal challenge ahead of the judicial review. We hope while this is pending, the status quo will be maintained.”
If in favour, Mr. Matthews and his team will remain in place.
City News reached out to Prue Freeman and the Daisy Green team but did not receive comment.
In an exclusive interview with Camden New Journal, Prue Freeman has stated she “will not be deterred by threats of a customer boycott and that menus would be affordable.”
As for Mr. Matthews, he has one message to the City of London Corporation:
“Engage. You’re doing a wonderful job running these parks, but please, engage with the people who use them.”
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HeadlineHampstead Heath café row sparks legal debate of public spaces and ownership
Short HeadlineHampstead Heath café row brings massive community support
StandfirstA lease deal for a new chain restaurant has raised major concerns for locals
The owner of a Hampstead Heath café says he is seeking legal advice after losing his lease to Daisy Green, a decision which generated a petition signed by more than 24,000 people.
Patrick Matthews is the co-owner of Parliament Hill Lido Café, along with his business partner Emma Fernandez.
They have run the café for about 10 years.
He says in was in complete shock when he learned that the City of London Corporation had declared multiples café leases to Daisy Green.
“It was not at all what I had been expecting,” he explained to City News.
A petition was created in aims to keep the café operators in place and prevent changes to the central community.
The petition was backed by roughly 15,000 people in early January.
That number has since grown to over 24,000 signatures in recent weeks.
Mr. Matthews believes that the decision is completely unfair.
“The City both morally and legally has a duty to consult, and we don’t believe the City did consult,” he says. “All the evidence we have, is that the City did not do a job of finding out what the customers and users of these open spaces wanted.”
It’s more than just a café. It’s the central piece of the larger community.
Mr. Matthews says the café has been successful because a year-long café was not previously available in the park.
He says, “We have people from all over who come to the café. We have a community that’s very well-connected, and it covers a very wide range of people. That is its charm.”
Mr. Matthews says that the row, which unfolded on December 19th, has been very stressful for his team.
“The support for existing cafes has been far from what I could’ve expected. There’s been strong emotions all around, but this sort of intense discovery of how people love what we do.”
Reverend Andrew Kwapong of St. Martin’s Church, Gospel Oak blessing the café members [Credit: Patrick Matthews]
Cafés, Contracts, and Conflicts
While the leases announced to Daisy Green are recent, this conflict dates back to late 2015 and early 2016.
The City of London Corporation attempted to remarket the cafes and aimed to bring in a chain called Benugo.
Similarly to the current row, there was massive opposition.
A café working group was created to work with the community and reflect their wishes for future attempts.
This current decision also affects cafés in Golders Hill Park, Parliament Hill, and Queen’s Park.
“It’s a part of our lives.”
Mr. Matthew believes the row depicts the struggles currently affecting Londoners.
“I feel that London is choking on the effects of high rents, and that people just generally dislike this process,” he said. “London is great in lots of ways, but it’s also about extracting our money from our assets, almost to the point of destroying those assets.”
He added that experiences at Parliament Hill Lido Café have been key to his life.
“As a family, it’s been massively important. We have had small children who have been in and around the café for many years. We have completed lots of community work, and it’s been completely central to our lives. Losing that connection would be a great loss.”
Save Lido Café Poster Sale, [Credit: @lido.cafe via Instagram]
Preparing for the next step
Ms. Fernandez and Mr. Matthews said they would prefer to talk to the City of London Corporation, but are now taking proper legal advice.
The team at Parliament Hill Lido Café were originally supposed to be out on the second of February.
Last week, they were able to officially secure a three week postponement with legal assistance.
“We have fantastic legal help,” he says. “They got a postponement for three weeks from when when we had a reply from the City, which was last week.
“In theory, we’re facing eviction on the third of March. What we’re working on now is the refinement of the legal challenge ahead of the judicial review. We hope while this is pending, the status quo will be maintained.”
If in favour, Mr. Matthews and his team will remain in place.
City News reached out to Prue Freeman and the Daisy Green team but did not receive comment.
In an exclusive interview with Camden New Journal, Prue Freeman has stated she “will not be deterred by threats of a customer boycott and that menus would be affordable.”
As for Mr. Matthews, he has one message to the City of London Corporation:
“Engage. You’re doing a wonderful job running these parks, but please, engage with the people who use them.”
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