The Royal Parks

Everyone’s at it – I mean making money out of car owners. And why not? If you can afford to run a car you can afford all the FPNs (Fixed Penalty Notices) and car parking charges. So why is parking free in the Royal Parks?

There are eight Royal Parks: “Richmond Park, 2,360 acres; Bushy Park, 1,100 acres; The Regent’s Park & Primrose Hill, 410 acres; Hyde Park, 350 acres;
Kensington Gardens, 260 acres; Greenwich Park, 180 acres; St James’s Park, 57 acres; The Green Park, 40 acres” (Wikipedia)

It’s only the RPs in outer London that have multiple, large car parks. But this is a red herring. The Royal Parks listed above belong to the Crown. They are administered by a government department that keeps changing its name – currently the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Sensibly it has devolved its responsibility to The Royal Parks, a charity created in 2017. This charity is also responsible for Brompton Cemetery and Victoria Tower Gardens.

“Carlton House Terrace suited Hugh Lonsdale admirably. It had all the advantages of living in London with many of the facilities of being in the country. The Terrace, overlooking St James’s Park, provided an exercise ground for his dogs, whilst the Park itself he regarded to all intents and purposes as his own personal property. He had his own key to all the London Parks, which were then fenced in with high railings and closed to the public after six o’clock at night. He took a personal interest in the bedding out of the flower-beds and the welfare of the ducks, and did not hesitate to give instructions as to what was to be done. On Sunday afternoons he would take his dogs on a tour of inspection through St James’s Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, puffing vigorously at his cigar and noting every detail. Later, a chit would be sent to the Head Gardener suggesting alterations or variations in the colours of the flowers, or other attractions. No one seems ever to have questioned his authority.” (The Yellow Earl, The Life of Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale 1857 – 1944, Douglas Sutherland, 1965)

I don’t quite have Lord Lonsdale’s chutzpah but I do sometimes engage the gardeners in the Royal Parks and other properties in conversation, usually to extract information and only to impart advice sparingly. The pleasure that parks give to all and sundry is inestimable and enrich the lives of residents and visitors alike. The Royal Parks is an organisation that attracts no headlines but one of which we should be proud. Crucially it operates independently and is not tarnished by party politics.