City of London Corporation defends Daisy Green café takeover

Landowner City of London Corporation (CLC) has released a statement backing its decision to choose London-based café chain Daisy Green to run four sites at Queen’s Park, Golders Hill Park, Parliament Hill Lido and Parliament Hill Fields from spring 2026.

Following a competitive retendering process late last year, Daisy Green beat 30 bidders to be the preferred operator of four cafés across Hampstead Heath and Queen’s Park in London.

As a result, the operators of the four sites at Queen’s Park, Golders Hill Park, Parliament Hill Lido and Parliament Hill Fields were told they would have to give up their cafes by 31 January, leading to upset and frustration in the community.

A petition to “halt the handover to Daisy Green” has gained thousands of signatures. 

CLC said the existing cafés were operating on “short-term arrangements that made it difficult to invest in their buildings and facilities. Moving to longer-term leases under Daisy Green allows that community investment to happen and secures the cafés’ future”.

In a statement, chair of the City of London Corporation’s Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee, Alderman Gregory Jones KC, said: “These cafés are not closing. They are much-loved parts of Hampstead Heath and Queen’s Park, and this process was about ensuring they can continue to operate and invest for the long term.

“As trustee of the charities that manage these open spaces at no expense to the taxpayer, the City Corporation has a duty to act in the best interest of those charities. We are simply seeking to ensure that services are properly run, leases are market-tested and facilities are sustainable for the long term, which is reflective of good governance."

Describing Daisy Green as “an independent, London-based business, not a national or multinational chain“, he added: “And while it operates more than one site, each café will retain its own identity, shaped by its setting and with input from the local community. This approach is not dissimilar to that taken by some of the existing independent café operators who run multiple outlets and business ventures across London.

“Campaigners have overlooked the merits of Daisy Green’s proposal, which include significant investment in café buildings, continuation and development of community programmes, and a promise to keeping menus affordable.

“Importantly, staff in all cafés across the Heath and in Queen’s Park will be paid at least the London Living Wage – demonstrating a real commitment to supporting those who live and work in the local area.”

Bids were assessed against a range of criteria, including affordability, environmental standards, community benefit, experience and business plans. Each café was considered separately, and combined bids covering multiple sites were not accepted.

It’s not the first time the contracts running cafés in the area were disputed. Back in 2016, contract caterer Benugo won a tender to run the Parliament Hill café on Hampstead Heath, as well as the Golders Hill Park and Highgate Wood cafés. But the contract caterer pulled out of the deal following backlash from the local community.

Daisy Green was founded by Prue Freeman and Tom Onions in 2012 and serves Australian-style brunch and coffee from 21 sites across London.