City of London Corporation to defend cafe contract decision in High Court

A High Court judge has ruled that the City of London Corporation must defend its decision to award contracts for cafes on Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood, and Queen's Park. The ruling follows a legal challenge brought by Hoxton Beach, which operates cafes at Highgate Wood, Parliament Hill Lido, and Queen's Park.

Arguable Case for Flawed Bidding Process

Mr Justice Sheldon stated that Hoxton Beach has presented an "arguable" case that the bidding process for the cafe contracts was flawed and unfair. The City of London Corporation, which manages these open spaces as a charity, is now required to disclose the evidence it will use in its defence within three weeks. The corporation has stated it will "robustly defend" the claim, asserting that the retendering process was lawful, open, and the only fair way to secure the future of the five cafes.

The controversy pits independent businesses against the Australian-inspired chain Daisy Green, which has secured contracts for 22 establishments across London. Hoxton Beach continues to operate its three cafes despite facing eviction threats. Daisy Green has taken over the cafe at Parliament Hill Fields, while Cosmin Stuparu, who runs the Golders Hill Park Cafe, has yet to vacate his site to move to Highgate Wood.

Legal Challenge and Public Support

Hoxton Beach, run by Patrick Matthews and Emma Fernandez, has fundraised around £11,000 to support the legal challenge, with solicitors Leigh Day working largely on a pro bono basis. Matthews indicated that further significant fundraising, potentially in the tens of thousands of pounds, will be necessary to cover potential costs awarded against them by the court. He described the right to a judicial review as an "incredible result" and praised the legal team and campaigners.

A Change.org petition supporting Hoxton Beach has gathered 25,000 signatures, including from notable figures such as Benedict Cumberbatch and James McAvoy. Matthews stated that the petition demonstrated "real and solid support for keeping cafes as community institutions" and appealed for continued help to advance the campaign.

Next Steps

The judicial review hearing is expected to take place no later than December 17. The City of London Corporation maintains that the proposals submitted by Daisy Green and Cosmin Stuparu represented the strongest long-term plans for the sites.