Potters Fields - money v open space

I realise that Potters Field relies on its own commercial activities to fund its continued management & upkeep, but does anyone know how well it sticks to its remit? It seems that,virtually most weekends there are events that restrict local people from using the open space to relax, lie out and chill - the back area was simply packed last weekend.

I completely understand their need to rent out the space to enable it to pay for upkeep (in fact this is a great idea), but who balances the needs of the local community and the profitabilty of the location.

btw - I do enjoy many of the events there, but do get frustrated that these often co-incide with the few days that we get Summer!

I have often felt the same. Best thing to do is email:

Stephen Cornford <[email protected]>
"Sheaff, Jon" <[email protected]>

..and let them know your thoughts as they will have an impact... it does seem to be little more than a rent-a-backdrop for marketing companies these days which is a real shame when it gets sunny like this..

d

The future of the park will depend on the future of the coach park.
You cant separate the two things.

Extend the park....everyone wants it to happen...the council will argue about the massivley outdated covenants...no-one cares about them any more...every one wants the park extended....its called the will of the people...which doesn't seem to count with politicians (Southwark Council amongst others) much these days.

I've certainly heard Nick Stanton claim that the section 106 cash from the coach park development will reduce the need to hold commercial events on the lawn and that public access to the park is likely to be less restricted should the Berkeley development go ahead.

Make of that what you will.

robbiekid wrote:

btw - I do enjoy many of the events there, but do get frustrated that these often co-incide with the few days that we get Summer!

Agreed. The weather's been lovely for the last two weekends but the premium space in the park has been taken up by tacky commercial events. As you say, people who wanted to sit and relax in the park had to scrunch up on the tiny rear lawn. Views of the river and the bridge were blocked, we were forced to listen to London Punjabi radio blaring out from one of the stages and the air was full of of the smell of fried food!

The way the management trust was set up and financed makes it support itself and its employees as a priority rather than providing a park for the local workers and residents. I've heard similar to James in that the s106 money from the Berkley development will reduce/remove the need for these invasive events.

What's happening with the coach park development, if nothing is going to happen before 2012 they should extend the park as an experiment to see how it goes, using lottery Money

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3358/3341390192_522b9af8d7_o.jpg

Perhaps it's a vicious cycle - the wear and tear resulting from large events leading to high maintenance costs which in turn justify the need to hold large events to generate money and so on....

The other thing that strikes me about Potters Fields is the large high maintenance planting scheme at the Tooley Str entrance - a redesign there might save on maintenance costs and carve out some more space for people to use?

I actually manage to spot Boris stuck at the redlights on Tooley St on his bike. So with no legal means of escape for him (no jumping lights anymore - ha ha!) I rode over and pushed him on what was going to happen with the Potters Fields site and Berkley Homes. His answers were pathetically vague and either he didn't know anything or was just trying to hide any uncomfortable answers behind some jokey statements. I seemed to know more about it than he did which is a sorry state of affairs..

He's quite a funny guy. Shame he's the mayor though.

Oh dear.

Oh leave the guy alone. What a misery to be buttonholed like that on your way home from work.