All Parks in Hammersmith & Fulham Are Now Closed

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H&F Council moves to enforce social distancing and help keep residents safe

Ravenscourt Park

As announced on Sunday 22 March, by Hammersmith & Fulham Council, all parks and playgrounds in the borough have been closed until further notice.

The council says it has taken this drastic move to enforce the government’s advice on social distancing and help keep residents safe.

Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of H&F Council, said: "Our parks and playgrounds were full over the weekend - with a significant proportion of people ignoring government guidelines on social distancing.

"We are one of the most densely-populated boroughs in the country.  That means a huge amount of people are spreading the contagion through cross-infection.

"People should stay home to defend our critical services and save lives - particularly the lives of our NHS and care workers who are on the frontline dealing with coronavirus patients.

"If people go out, they must practise social distancing and keep a car’s length away to keep the coronavirus at bay.

"By closing our parks, we are putting the safety of all our residents first. We will continue to review this policy and we will always prioritise people’s safety. Please stay home and save lives."

The council's action follows a new update by the Royal Parks, today, who have announced that though their eight London parks are still open, a series of new closures and restrictions are being brought in, including shutting all playgrounds and cafes and closing roads through spaces including Richmond Park.

As well as Richmond and Bushy Parks, green spaces which are accessible for Hammersmith & Fulham residents include Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and Brompton Cemetery.

Richmond Park - roads closed but open to walkers

The announcement says:

We are closely monitoring Government advice on COVID-19 and are following the advice of Public Health England. We’re taking all appropriate measures to keep our visitors safe and healthy during this time so please see below for the latest changes to our park services and facilities:

All playgrounds are now closed until further notice
All cafés and kiosks in the parks are now closed until further notice
All park roads through Richmond Park, Bushy Park and Greenwich Park are now closed
All visitor centres and The LookOut education centre in Hyde Park are now temporarily closed
All learning and education programmes, community programmes and volunteer activities have been cancelled with immediate effect until the end of April, when we will review the situation. This includes all activities for school groups delivered by The Royal Parks and our partners
All small events booked to take place in a Royal Park between now and 30th April will be cancelled. Event organisers will be entitled to a full refund of the event fee or will be able to defer the event to 2021. The Royal Parks is not taking any future bookings for small events at this time
All filming and photography shoots scheduled to take place in a Royal Park between now and 30th April will be cancelled. Organisers will be entitled to a full refund of the fee or will be able to defer the shoot to 2021
Park toilets will remain free of charge until further notice, in order to provide visitors with hand washing facilities. However, please be aware that some toilets are temporarily closed
All park offices are now closed to the public until further notice
The tennis courts in Hyde Park, The Regent’s Park and Greenwich Park will remain open but all sports buildings will be closed from the evening of 22 March

March 23, 2020