Council chiefs in Newcastle are facing renewed pressure to deliver rapid improvements at Leazes Park, the city's oldest public park, which has been described as "fobbed off" for years. The grade II listed Victorian green space has been a source of concern for some time, and recent developments have intensified calls for action.
Lack of Facilities and Derelict Buildings
Leazes Park is currently without a cafe or public toilets following the closure of its former Tower Cafe. The condemned keepers' lodge has been derelict for years, with plans to demolish it stalled. Additionally, two stone plinths at the entrance off Richardson Road remain broken and on the ground, more than two years after they were damaged during a music festival in May 2024.
Marion Williams, a former city councillor and member of the Friends of Leazes Park, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the park had been "fobbed off for years" and deserved urgent support from Newcastle City Council. She noted that the cafe provided a "community presence" that has been lost.
Concerns Over Deterioration
Williams, who served as a Labour and independent councillor, now fears the empty building could deteriorate and become a target for break-ins and vandalism. She said: "They [the council] should be in there today repairing the place and getting it ready so that someone can take it on. You can't make money in a destination like that all year round, so who is going to take it on starting in the winter months?"
She also highlighted that residents often prefer parks in neighbouring areas, saying: "When I ask people which parks they go to, where they walk their dogs or take the kids, they always tell me either North Tyneside or Gateshead. Rising Sun country park is very popular and everybody holds Saltwell Park up as the crown jewel of parks in the region. But here in Newcastle they can't do parks."
Recent Progress and Pledges
Leazes Park regained its green flag status last year, having lost it in 2024 amid complaints that it was being used as a "cash cow" by the charity that controlled it at the time. The park has also been speculated as a potential site for a new Newcastle United stadium.
Responsibility for the city's parks has returned to the council after it ended its support for the charity Urban Green last year. Following the local elections in May, the Liberal Democrat minority administration pledged an initial £1.4 million package for restoration and enhancement works to green spaces.
Council Response
Peter Lovatt, the council's cabinet member responsible for parks, said: "We want to move at pace with improvements to our parks and green spaces. Leazes Park is a fantastic asset, next to the hospital and with new student accommodation developments nearby, and we were disappointed that the previous private operator of the café decided to pull out."
He added: "We are in the process of finding a long term sustainable operator that can provide a different offer to what was previously there so it can be sustainable all year round. Like in the other two locations, we have made clear this is a key priority, and while we look for an operator we are going to carry out external repairs and repainting of the café building."
Lovatt also mentioned ongoing surveys: "We are currently carrying out essential bat and ecology surveys on the keepers lodge and assessing building survey information before any decision can be made on its future but again we recognise this is an asset to the city. Works to repair the jubilee gate post and to reinstate the entrance on Richardson Road are also being progressed but in the short time we have been leading the council we have demonstrated how highly parks are prioritised."
He concluded: "Financial pressures will always mean we have to make decisions around what improvements are prioritised but residents in this city deserve green spaces they can be proud of, and we are excited to work with voluntary groups across the city to maximise the impact we can have."
