UPDATE 29.10.24:

Keep Our Park Free For All!

Say NO to car parking charges at Roundhay Park

Have Your Say. Now.

Leeds City Council are reportedly implementing car parking charges to Roundhay Park (in the autumn).

Introduction of charges effectively removes the free access for all to enjoy the beauty of Roundhay Park.

We’re opposing so we need to hear your objections and personal stories on how the car parking charges will affect your visit (or no visit) to the park.

Send your objections and personal story to us now, please don’t delay:

Art Roundhay Park: e: Catriona@theenglishartco.co.uk

Dine e: restaurant.manager@dine.co.uk

The Lakeside Cafe: e: emma@thelakesidecafe.co.uk

Comments by Dan Gill, Founder + Creative Director, Dine:

Letter to The Rt Hon Fabian Hamilton MP.

“I am writing to you to seek your advice and support regarding the proposed parking charges in Roundhay Park.

I am both a resident in Roundhay and a business owner (The Mansion) and the proposed charges are causing us a serious degree of concern on both counts:

The Mansion in Roundhay Park – this is an extremely expensive building to run. It relies on two income streams;  i) The Garden Room Café and ii) Events (such as meetings and weddings). It is easy to see how the introduction of even modest parking charges will damage our business at The Mansion. There are a plethora of cafes in the immediate area which have free adjacent parking. Equally, for clients wishing to invite their guests to an event at The Mansion, free parking has always been an advantage when we are competing with the many city centre venues which offer much better transport links.

We have recently invested significant sums into a new Tea Room at The Mansion in addition to the existing activities; The Mansion Tea Rooms which will create another 5 full time hospitality jobs in the area. I mention this to demonstrate that we believe in running a proactive business and that I am not raising this issue simply from a negative standpoint, but rather as a matter of genuine concern to us and the other businesses in the Park; The Lakeside Cafe and Art Roundhay Park to name but two.

We have proposed that our staff and clients could benefit from some kind of parking permit arrangement, but we have initially been told that we would have to fund any such arrangement. This is not a viable proposal from our perspective. Parking costs and the damage they will do to our business are yet another unwelcome increase in cost to small businesses such as ours and threaten employment in the Roundhay area.

As a Resident, I am concerned that parking restrictions are highly problematic both in principle AND practice;

Principle - The whole point of the Park is to provide a green space to the people of Leeds, many of whom have to travel by car as there is no other option. Introducing parking charges, again however modest, is a levy on people who are seeking to access green spaces and particularly unwelcome given the recent focus on the obesity epidemic that the UK faces.

Practice – the Park is a beautiful place to live and even more so when it is being enjoyed by families from across Leeds. However, on busy days people already have to park way up Park Avenue and beyond and often cause issues with blocked driveways, reduced sightlines and risk to pedestrians. On Princes Avenue, traffic (particularly buses) is already struggling to make its way passed parked cars at the weekends. Introducing parking charges will simply push people into the Residential streets surrounding the Park and exacerbate these issues.

Summary

I do not believe that the revenue generated by this scheme will warrant the potential damage to local businesses and residents alike. I am also concerned that the consultation process is flawed. We don’t believe that the survey form presented an opportunity for people to provide their actual opinions. The survey itself seemed to be riven with what amounted to closed questions.

I should mention that I am very sympathetic indeed to the way that Councils have been starved of funds by central government. I have also had effective communication from the Officer in charge and hope to progress further. However, I am now requesting your assistance on this matter as I believe that Parking Charges will have a negative impact overall”.

Comments by Catriona Moore, Director, Art Roundhay Park:

We need to keep our park free for all!

1. It’s important for the health and welfare of the people of Leeds, pensioners, Mums, walkers, runners; the clubs - soccer, bowlers, runners, cyclists - they should all have free access to the park;

2. It’s important for the small businesses in the park (Art Roundhay Park, The Garden Tea Rooms and The Lakeside Cafe), which also support the local economy too; not just these businesses but the professional dog walkers, the fitness companies, Mr Super Whippy ice cream concession.

3. Footfall will decline - people won’t just call in for a card or a coffee;

4. Our gallery is free - it’s a space people love to enjoy the art, we need to keep it this way;

5. It will push parking out into the residential areas (or maybe not as double yellow lines will be in place), forcing parking into the park; How far are the double yellows go?

6. We want a public consultation (oh, it’s been and gone and we didn’t know about it);

7. As a small business, we’ve supported nearly 100 artists since we’ve been here, that’s money going into the local economy; we employ 5 part-time staff;

8. We know the councils have had their budgets cut, but please don’t penalise Leeds people this way;

9. We’ve supported nearly 100 artists since we’ve been here, that’s money going into the local economy; we employ 5 part-time staff;

10. We support Friends of Roundhay Park (the group of volunteers who maintain the park) with a donation programme which helps maintain the park;

11. And our customers feel very strongly that the park should be free to all.

12. John Barran, who fought to buy the park in 1871, believed strongly that the park should belong to the people of Leeds. The barrister who argued his case, stressed that “all the people of Leeds should have the right to enjoy the benefits of the park”. The people of Leeds have already paid for the park – in 1871.

    John Barran’s quote, inscripted on the wall of Art Roundhay Park, the Orangery, sums it up:

    "Here we have an estate which would make an ideal playground for the people of this town. Future generations will remember us with gratitude as they stroll along the pleasant walks and enjoy the ease and shade of the trees."

We’ll be adding your objections and personal stories, once received, here:

Emails received from visitors

‘We have been visiting regularly Roundhay Park for many years and in particular the Mansion area using the road next to the Mansion to park our car.

We can recall when the Conservatory was in use as a gift/sweet shop. This was then closed and  transferred to Canal Gardens. A new identity was then established trading as a Gallery and gift shop. In conjunction with the Mansion the two have been a great draw in encouraging people to visit this wonderful characterful park. 

During the pandemic this area played a vital part in helping people achieve safety in the outdoors whilst enjoying refreshments. It was widely used.

Businesses like these can take many years to flourish and establish a loyal customer base. Much thought and consideration should be given before imposing a fee to park in this area as it will have a detrimental effect on visitors and businesses established there. 

The older generation,  who do make up quite a proportion of weekday visitors, could be discouraged by the extra cost of parking. 

It will also affect dog walkers who may even have to pay twice daily. 

If a parking fee is introduced,  apart from the very important factor of putting people's livelihoods at risk and loss of visitors is it really worth destroying such a lovely feature by imposing a charge to park nearby ?

As pensioners ourselves, we are conscious that we only have limited funds and

the idea of having to pay to park at Roundhay Park will

have an influence on whether we visit or not.’

‘Yes. It will raise money for the council to make car park charging the norm in Roundhay Park, but it will at the same time make it out of reach to many Leeds citizens.

When we want to meet our adult children and grandchildren now, we often arrange to meet in the park - but as soon as there is car park charging families strapped for cash have to find other places to meet or choose to go places where they do not have to suffer this imposition. The park is an important social institution for Leeds. It brings rich and not so rich and poor together and is multicultural and diverse. It is enjoyed by so many .

There are surely other ways to raise money from the park apart from car park charging . My husband worked for the Leeds Mela for many years . Every summer people travelled from far and wide across the north of England to attend this iconic Asian festival which attracted every race and every age group, and rarely led to any upheavals even though the organisation was hard work.

Bring back more activities and festivals and encourage more cars full of people to the park . Dont leave it exclusively to those who can afford the car parking fees. As local residents we love to see visitors here from all over Leeds and feel more strongly part of our wonderful city when we do.’

‘I think these parking charges are absolutely awful and I feel they should not come into force. I have been going to the park since moving to Leeds from Manchester for 52years taking my dogs for walks and trying to keep fit. I am still doing it now meeting up with my friends for a quick chat and enjoying this wonderful park. If I carried on going with the charges it would cost me over £500 which I can not afford. How many people me are going to feel the same. I totally object get to this.’

‘I come to the park at least twice a week for a walk with friends. 

It is an absolutely disgrace that Leeds City Council would want to charge for car parking when this Park was given to the people of Leeds for FREE  to use and enjoy as they see fit. 

Walking in the Park makes people with mental health worries feel much better after they have had a walk around. 

Not everybody can walk to the Park from home and need to use a car.  This will make it an expense that they probably cannot afford and therefore will not come. 

This will affect people who have cafes, shops and other leisure activities in the park as there will not be as many people visiting.

I hope you will change your mind and let the Park remain FREE FOR EVERYONE YOUNG AND OLD TO USE AND ENJOY.’

‘I am a member of Friends of Roundhay Park and the work they do is fantastic. 

with regards to the forthcoming parking charges proposal i would like to give my opinion on behalf of my pensioner friends

We walk our dogs daily in a group rain or shine

An hours walk followed by a coffee and a snack at one of the cafe in Roundhay Park and sometimes golden acre

Its a good way for elderly and not so elderly people to make friends get some exercise and fresh air. Staving off loneliness isolation and keeping ourselves healthy as well as our dogs too

Anticipating that it will be costing a couple of pounds to park for 2 hours (and we are often out for longer) that amounts to £14 a week £56 a month just to park our cars and enjoy something that we should be encouraged to do

In the summer large amounts ofyoung families come in the park  many from the poor areas of leeds where they live in terrace homes or high rise flats with no gardens  They bring the young and elderly people together for picnics and BBQs  not so easy if you are limited to the time on the meters

Also the young people who play football on the soldiers field. What an inconvenience for them too

I urge the council to reconsider this decision it is shameful and unacceptabl.’

‘Car parking charges at Roundhay Park will not affect me personally as I live within walking distance of the park.

It is always a pleasure for me to see people enjoying the park and I would be very sorry if charging deterred visitors.

It is my understanding that the park was given to the people of Leeds in perpetuity, for their recreation and pleasure.

The Wikipedia entry for Roundhay Park states:

"It covers more than 700 acres of parkland, lakes, woodland and gardens which are owned by decree [of Charles Frederick Thackray and the Nicholson family] by the People of the City of Leeds, it is NOT owned by Leeds City Council but they manage it for the citizens of Leeds."

I appreciate that the council needs to raise funds to pay for the park's upkeep and management but feel that free access to the park is what the original benefactors intended. Therefore, I object to car parking charges at Roundhay Park.’

Testimonials by customers at Art Roundhay Park

"Wow Wow, this is fantastic, fabulous, what wonderful colours, you’ve brightened up my day”

“Lovely to meet you both, I look forward to viewing your art works again in the near future.”

"You've inspired me to try some new methods of creating art myself"

"A wonderful gallery, we've visited many times.”

"Lovely works of art. Do a replay"

"Lovely, colourful and uplifting"

"Wonderful and Inspiring work"

"Wonderful and inspiring art. A great exhibition"

"Thank you for a lovely and varied exhibition!"

"How lovely to have such talent and colour, and it's local!"

"An excellent exhibition. I am inspired!"

"So much to see. Can't wait to visit again"

"Terrific art, thank you!"

"A lovely display of beautiful art, thank you"

"Great stuff David Lyon"

"Inspirational variety of artistic styles and techniques. Thoroughly enjoyable"

"Think it’s absolutely fantastic what we’re doing”

"So glad we visited. Stunning stuff!"

"Fabulous exhibition, lots to see!"

"Excellent exhibition, such a high standard and a lovely bright area"

"A wonderful collection, will be back soon."

"Very interesting and informative - thoroughly enjoyed seeing these artworks, thank you"

"Bright and uplifting. It makes you feel happy"

"You’ve made my day!"

"I think this is amazing; it’s so inspiring"

"Cheered me up"

"It’s so positive"

"Very pretty, different"