Hoxton Beach, the operator of cafés at Parliament Hill Fields Lido, Queen’s Park, and Highgate Wood, will not face eviction imminently, according to co-owner Patrick Matthews. The next County Court hearing is fixed for May 19, 2027, after the possession claim was allocated to the Multi-Track, a procedure for complex cases. The High Court has yet to decide whether Hoxton Beach’s judicial review claim is “arguable” and can proceed.
Background of the dispute
The City of London Corporation, which manages Hampstead Heath and other green spaces as a registered charity, launched a procurement exercise last year for five café sites: Parliament Hill Fields Lido, Queen’s Park, Highgate Wood, Golders Hill Park, and Parliament Hill. In December 2025, the Corporation announced that Daisy Green would take over four of the five sites, including Parliament Hill Lido and Queen’s Park, while Highgate Wood was awarded to Cosmin Stuparu, who previously ran Golders Hill.
Hoxton Beach, run by Kentish Town pair Patrick Matthews and Emma Fernandez, was given notice to vacate by February 2 this year. The company refused to leave, raising concerns about the tender process and requesting a judicial review into whether the Corporation had acted unlawfully in awarding the tenancies.
Legal proceedings escalate
In mid-March, the Corporation announced it would file possession proceedings at the County Court, claiming Hoxton Beach had continued to unlawfully occupy the cafés despite being legally required to vacate. Since then, there have been few substantive updates, with a decision on whether a full judicial review will proceed yet to be announced.
On September 30, Patrick Matthews published an online update stating that the Corporation’s case went before the County Court on September 21. He wrote that the possession claim was allocated to the Multi-Track, a procedure reserved for complex cases likely to take longer to resolve, with the next fixed date at the County Court on May 19, 2027.
Operator’s response and next steps
Outlining what the update means, Mr Matthews wrote: “This does not guarantee the cafés will remain in their present hands until 2027. The High Court has yet to rule on whether Hoxton Beach’s judicial review claim is 'arguable' and allowed to proceed. A decision on permission could come at any time. If permission is initially refused, Hoxton Beach still retains the right to an in-person appeal hearing.”
Mr Matthews added that the “bottom line” is that the eviction requested by the Corporation “is not happening any time soon, giving the community and the campaign vital breathing room while the High Court considers the lawfulness of the tender process”. He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the allocation to the Multi-Track is “a well deserved rebuff” from the County Court. “The real test is what the Administrative Court makes of our arguments about the fairness and lawfulness of the City's decision to remove us from the businesses we have built up in close cooperation [with the Corporation] over so many years,” he said.
Responding to the fact that eviction does not appear imminent, he said: “We are delighted and more importantly so are our customers. We were absolutely overwhelmed at Queen's Park Day with well wishers.”
Corporation’s position
The City of London Corporation has consistently argued that the successful bidders submitted the strongest overall proposals for the cafés. A spokesperson said: “We maintain that Hoxton Beach's continued occupation of these cafés is unlawful. Our decision followed a fair, open and independently supported remarketing process which assessed 30 bids across all five cafés. The ongoing nature of these proceedings is diverting much-needed charitable resources that could otherwise be spent maintaining and improving these open spaces.”
The next legal milestone is the High Court’s decision on whether to grant permission for the judicial review, which could come at any time. If permission is refused, Hoxton Beach retains the right to an in-person appeal hearing. The County Court case is scheduled to continue on May 19, 2027.
