Primrose Hill fenced off ahead of New Year’s Eve

An area of ​​London popular for New Year's Eve has been fenced off, angering locals.

Fencing has been erected around Primrose Hill Park to stop revelers from entering to watch the New Year's fireworks display.

Camden Park offers panoramic views of the capital and around 30,000 people celebrated New Year there in 2024, but this year it is closed, with gates locked and a fence preventing people from entering.

The move has angered locals, with some calling it “unprecedented” and others calling it “grotesque”.

Amy McKeown, who is a member of the volunteer group Primrose Hill Keepers, said she would now be celebrating New Year's Eve elsewhere.

She said: “The park was never closed in this way. This is completely unprecedented.”

“This is a public park where people should be able to come and watch fireworks. This is exactly what we need to encourage people to do.”

Commander Nick John, who is responsible for the Metropolitan Police's New Year's Eve policing, said: “Royal Parks is urging people not to attempt to gather at Primrose Hill this year and we are repeating those calls. Please make alternative plans. Anyone attempting to access the park will find it impossible to do so.”

Why was Primrose Hill fenced off?

The decision to fence off Primrose Hill was made by the charity Royal Parks, which manages Primrose Hill.

The Royal Parks charity, which runs Primrose Hill, previously said the ability to handle crowds of the size that would normally watch fireworks would be “severely reduced” partly due to the closure of the Metropolitan Police's Royal Parks Operational Command Unit.

A spokesman for the charity said: “The decision to close Primrose Hill on New Year's Eve was not taken lightly. Last year around 30,000 people visited Primrose Hill to watch the Mayor of London's New Year's fireworks display.”

“This was not an organized event with an event organizer but a gathering in an open park area and we have limited controls we can use to ensure public safety. We have therefore decided that Primrose Hill will be closed and locked from 8pm on December 30 until January 1.”

“We are working closely with the Metropolitan Police to encourage anyone who does not have a ticket to the Mayor of London's New Year's Eve fireworks display to make alternative arrangements.”

In November, the Met Police announced it would disband the Royal Parks Police, which helped respond to serious crime in green spaces including Hyde Park and Primrose Hill, as part of efforts to close a £260 million funding gap.

But the force insists that the Royal Parks decision to close Primrose Hill on New Year's Eve is not necessarily the result of the dissolution of the Royal Parks policing team – as officers from that team made up just 15 of the more than 145 officers who were deployed to Primrose Hill on New Year's Eve last year.

Scotland Yard confirmed there would be a police presence in Primrose Hill to “respond to crime”, but added that preventing access to the park was not its role.

What are the rules for outdoor celebrations in parks?

When it comes to outdoor celebrations in parks, rules are usually set by local councils and can vary.

You will usually need to obtain permission from your local council if you want to host an event. according to the Local Government Association.

You will also need to consider obtaining different licenses depending on the event, from liquor licenses and entertainment licenses to building permits for structures such as marquees and stages.

Event organizers are also required to carry public liability insurance, often worth at least £5 million, and carry out risk assessments to ensure the event is safe.

When it comes to New Year's Eve celebrations, organizers must also take steps to minimize disturbance to local residents, and there are rules regarding fireworks displays in public places.

When will Primrose Hill reopen?

Primrose Hill gates have been locked since 8pm on Tuesday (December 29) and will not open until 6am on New Year's Day.

In March 2025, Darren Sher, director of parks for the charity Royal Parks, said he would be installing gates so the park could be closed if necessary.

He said the installation of the gates followed “extensive engagement” with residents and visitors to the park on a number of issues, including noise disturbances.

But the update said the installation of the gates did not mean the park would close more often, with Scher saying: “We are maintaining the current 24-hour opening schedule on weekdays and continuing to close summer weekends in the summer, as we have done for the past four years.

He added: “This year the park will be closed from 10pm until 6am the following morning on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Friday 11 April until the clocks change in October.

“We may also close the park on select days for operational reasons or for health and safety reasons due to extreme weather conditions.”