Purpose

This report records a decision of the approach to continue to ban BBQs at Waterlow Park during 2026.  This approach accepts the recommendation from the Waterlow Park Trust Advisory Group’s (TAG’s) recommendation that BBQs be banned in the park for one year.

This decision has been taken by the Executive Director Investment, Place and Opportunity due to the governance requirements of Waterlow Park being held in the Waterlow Park Trust and being a registered charity.

The Council (as the sole trustee) has the responsibility to both govern and provide services to manage the park.  In order to ensure governance and management, that the Trust fulfils its purpose of providing a public park for people, a voluntary Trust Advisory Group (TAG) was set up in 2016.   The group aims to act in an advisory role to the Trustee.  There is a partnership agreement between the Council and Waterlow Park TAG.

Oliver Jones, Director of Recreation Services and Public Safety, London Borough of Camden, is also the named representative on behalf of the sole Trustee for Waterlow Park Trust.

On the 20th October 2025, the chair of Waterlow Park Trust Advisory Group (TAG) wrote to the Trustee and made the recommendation that “A full ban on BBQs should continue in force for the 2026 season.  If requested by Camden, TAG will review the situation next year ahead of the 2027 season. Any such review would need to be based on appropriately funded new proposals that address the issues below which have led to the current temporary ban, and this advice”. TAG Memorandum of Advice to Trustee (Appendix 1). 

The Council has allowed BBQ-ing in Camden managed Parks since 2014, to increase access and use of our green spaces by our diverse communities, particularly families without access to gardens – 39% of Camden households do not have access to private outdoor space. 

In April 2025, large gatherings of people used the park to BBQ over multiple days and weekends. This had a significant and negative impact on the park, with a large number of complaints and the Council suspended BBQs at Waterlow Park.

After consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and a Sustainable Camden (November 2025), the Trust proposed continuing the BBQ ban during 2026 and further develop an improved management approach for future years. 

The Executive Director Investment, Place and Opportunity has the authority to take this decision because it concerns a matter not reserved to any Council body and is therefore deemed to be delegated to the relevant Executive Director.

Decision

On the 10th of March 2026, the Executive Director of Investment, Place and Opportunity having due regard to all relevant consideration including representations made by the Waterlow Park Trust Advisory Group and the obligations set out in the Equality Act 2010, exercising the responsibilities of the Council, acting as sole Trustee under the indenture dated 16 December 1889 of Waterlow Park Trust]: 

1. Agreed that the Waterlow Park Trust continue the BBQ ban at Waterlow Park during 2026.
2. Noted the intention to engage further with the Waterlow Park Trust Advisory Group and BBQ Working Group, as a valued stakeholder to improve the management of allowing BBQs at Waterlow Park and to consider longer-term options of introducing electric BBQs, including liaison with other councils, identification of funding for such a project, consideration of suitable design solutions, and engagement with people to test demand.