Protest Winterville at Haggerston Park

SIGN PETITION HERE

On the notice board there is a Green Flag Winner certificate, a well-deserved accolade for the amazing job that the Haggerston Park Rangers perform. On the Green Flag Award website (greenflagaward.org.uk), their first aim is given:

To ensure that everybody has access to quality green and other open spaces, irrespective of where they live. I strongly believe that if permission were granted to Winter South for this event, you would would be ensuring the opposite happens – access to this green space would be severely restricted, and its quality degraded.

Haggerston Park is a much loved green open space, which should not be wrested from the local community who use it, love and appreciate it all year round. If you go there regularly as I do, you will notice that it is a pleasurable space for people from various communities, for kids to play sport, for dog walkers, people with special needs, and elderly residents. In a densely populated area, where building seems ceaseless, it would be a travesty if this area of peace and quiet, where we can enjoy fresh air and nature, were taken away from us for a full fsix weeks (or 39 days). It is very well known that pollution levels in London are far too high, and that obesity is an issue – so please do not allow Winter South to rob us of our green open space.

It may be argued that if only part of the park is used for the event that this is a compromise; it is not. With the noise and the bustle of revellers over a four week period, the peace and quiet of the small park will be severely compromised. On the Winterville website (winterville.co.uk), they are touting bookings for office parties which will obviously add to the noise and general disturbance. I believe that some might find walking alongside the event, in the remaining space, intimidating; I particularly worry about elderly dog walkers.

There is no shortage of restaurants, bars, and venues to enjoy the festive season in our area. Shouldn’t we be encouraged to support local businesses rather than line the pockets of what has become a chain? Indeed – there is already a ‘Winterville’ just up the road in Victoria Park! As Victoria Park is so large, the event is not so much of an encroachment. Haggerston Park is far too small for such a venture.

So, space is a concern; so is noise. Winter South has applied to have recorded music, live music and so on from 11am until 10pm from Thursday – Sunday throughout the period. This would make a total of 39 days. Won’t the noise affect people trying to work in nearby workspaces? And what about Sebright nursery, Sebright Primary, and Haggerston School, all of which border the park? Haggerston School also uses the park for sports.

On their website, Winterville claim that a “magical town will spring up”; I do hope that I have expressed that the experience would not be at all magical for the local community. I sincerely hope that you will not grant permission to Winter South for this venture, and put the health and needs of the community first.