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The 19th-century lodge used as the headquarters of the Friends |
Lodge complaint: It’s just a money spinner
Royal Parks order Friends out of grade-II home
IT'S’ the end of an era for the Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.
Yesterday (Thursday) the group of volunteers packed up their belongings and left the 19th-century lodge – their headquarters for the past 15 years – on the orders of parks chiefs who want to rent out the building.
Every day throughout the summer one of 12 volunteers has manned the lodge just inside the gate at Hyde Park Corner, helping visitors get their bearings, uniting parents with their wandering children, guarding lost property and operating as a de facto tourist office.
But the Royal Parks Agency has told the group they have to go so it can get a commercial rent from the Grade II-listed building, with rumours afoot that it could become a holiday home or even a bookshop.
The 700-member group’s fate was sealed at a meeting with park bosses last week, despite a last minute campaign spearheaded by MP Mark Field. Now they are hunting for a new home within the park.
The joint chairwoman of the Friends, Jacky Hyer, who lives in Bayswater, said: “We found out on Wednesday that we can no longer stay there. It’s a huge blow because we really did do a good job. If anyone had a problem, got lost or wanted information, that was what we were there for.
“It’s a listed building so they won’t be able to do anything with it. You couldn’t put up a bath or a shower. It would be unsuitable for a residence.
“It looks like Royal Parks just want to use it to make money, which seems to be a worrying trend in the park. They have more concerts than ever before now.”
Last year the Friends successfully blocked plans to concrete over part of the Parade Ground.
The lodge, built in 1828, was originally occupied by the gatekeeper before falling redundant after the Second World War.
Mark Field, Conservative MP for Cities of London and Westminster said: “While I appreciate the significant budgetary constraints on the Royal Parks Agency, I do believe it is a source of great shame that voluntary groups such as the Friends face the loss of such a valuable resource.
“The Friends have played a crucial role for more than 30 years and this move seems scant reward for their contribution. All I would say is that whatever the Royal Parks Agency do with it, I hope they don’t change the focus too much – because I’m confident the Friends might be able to return at some time.”
The Royal Parks Agency would not give an indication of their plans for the building.
A spokeswoman for the Royal Parks, part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “Hyde Park Corner Lodge has been identified as suitable for refurbishment and we have discussed this with the Friends.
“We are grateful to the Friends of Hyde Park for their valuable support and hope to continue to work together on a range of other volunteer projects. We have offered the Friends alternative meeting space, in other buildings, elsewhere in the park.”
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