Brixton schools that tried to book Brockwell Park for sports days were told by Lambeth council’s leisure provider GLL that it had been advised not to accept any bookings “as Lambeth have events booked throughout the park”.
After social media protests, Jim Dickson, Lambeth council cabinet member for the voluntary sector, partnerships and community safety, replied on Twitter that this advice was wrong.
But schools, by then, had already booked alternative venues. Jubilee primary, at the foot of Tulse Hill near the park, will use the playing fields of St Martin-in-the-Field High School for Girls at the top of Tulse Hill.
St Jude’s in Regent Road on the other side of the park will be using Ruskin Park for its school sports day on 27 June. Sudbourne and Corpus Christi schools had also been affected.
A Lambeth Council spokesman said: “Schools were advised to avoid build, event days and break for both Field Day and the Lambeth Country Show mainly due to the vehicle movements that would be taking place. However, it should have been made clear that once Field Day de-rig was completed on 10 June there were no restrictions on school sports day bookings until the build for the Lambeth Country Show, which commences on the 15 July 2018. Schools have now been advised as such and are still welcome to book the park if they wish to. We apologise for any inconvenience.
The Brockwell Tranquility campaign, that contends that the park cannot handle the number and size of events that the council plans for it, said that its warnings had been vindicated by overcrowding at the recent Field Day festival.
Post edited at 16.30 to add Lambeth council comment
