City of London Corporation disputes café staff communication ban claims

Hoxton Beach, which operates two park cafés under contract with the City of London Corporation, has alleged that Corporation staff have been instructed to cease interaction with café employees. The company is currently awaiting a High Court ruling on a judicial review concerning the Corporation's decision to award new café contracts.

Allegations of restricted communication

According to Hoxton Beach, management at the Parliament Hill Lido and Highgate Wood cafés have been informed that City of London Corporation employees are under orders not to engage with café staff. A manager at the Lido café, who asked not to be named, stated that Corporation staff have been issued a formal warning against interacting with them or purchasing food and drinks from the café. This alleged directive, reportedly communicated via WhatsApp messages towards the end of June, is claimed to be in place while the legal dispute between Hoxton Beach and the Corporation is ongoing.

Patrick Matthews, Co-Owner of Hoxton Beach, described the situation as "pettiness" and expressed disappointment that legal differences were affecting the operational relationship. He noted that in the past, Hoxton Beach and City personnel had collaborated effectively on security matters. Mr Matthews highlighted that the alleged communication ban impacts logistics, as shared premises sometimes require inter-staff cooperation.

Unaddressed break-in reported

Mr Matthews also reported that site management had not responded to a break-in at the Parliament Hill Lido café. He stated that thieves had forced entry through the shutters and stolen the café's cash box. In an email to the Corporation, Mr Matthews raised concerns about the security of the premises following the incident, noting that 24 hours later, no reply had been received from Corporation colleagues. He suggested that in the past, such security issues would have been addressed collaboratively.

Corporation's response

A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation stated that claims of a blanket ban on communication are "not correct." The Corporation maintains that its staff continue to engage professionally to support the safe operation of its sites. The spokesperson added that the ongoing dispute is being handled through the parties' legal representatives and noted that Hoxton Beach continues to occupy three café premises despite receiving notice to vacate at the start of the year.

Background to the dispute

The dispute stems from the City of London Corporation's decision to award new contracts for its park cafés following a tender process last year. Parliament Hill Lido and Queen’s Park cafés are slated to be operated by Daisy Green, while Highgate Wood café will be run by the former team behind the Golder’s Green café, also moving to Daisy Green. Hoxton Beach has initiated a judicial review of this decision, the outcome of which is currently before the High Court.

Mr Matthews commented that Hoxton Beach had operated cafés with the City of London for over eight years, maintaining positive relations throughout that period and stepping in on multiple occasions to keep cafés operational when other operators faced difficulties. He emphasised the company's commitment to public service over other considerations.