Hoxton Beach refuses to leave Camden cafés

Hoxton Beach, a café operator, is refusing to vacate three sites on Hampstead Heath, including Parliament Hill Lido and Queen’s Park. The City of London Corporation, which manages the green spaces, issued notice for the cafés to be vacated by 2 February 2026 after awarding new contracts to other tenants.

Contract awarded to Daisy Green

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In December 2025, the Corporation announced that Daisy Green would take over four of the five sites that were put up for tender. These included Parliament Hill Lido and Queen’s Park. Highgate Wood was awarded to Cosmin Stuparu, who also operates at Golders Hill Park.

Judicial review and court proceedings

Hoxton Beach has raised concerns about the tender process and is seeking a judicial review into the Corporation's decision. The Corporation subsequently filed possession proceedings at the County Court in mid-March, stating Hoxton Beach continued to occupy the cafés unlawfully. The possession claim has been allocated to the Multi-Track, a procedure for complex cases.

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Patrick Matthews, co-owner of Hoxton Beach, stated that the County Court's next fixed date for the case is 19 May 2027. He noted that this date does not guarantee the cafés will remain with Hoxton Beach until then, as the High Court must still rule on whether the judicial review claim is arguable and allowed to proceed. A decision on permission could be made at any time, with a right to an in-person appeal hearing if permission is initially refused.

The bottom line is 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.

Patrick Matthews, Co-Owner of Hoxton Beach

Mr Matthews described the allocation of the case to the Multi-Track as a "well deserved rebuff" from the County Court. He added, "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."

Corporation's position

A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation stated that they maintain Hoxton Beach's continued occupation of the cafés is unlawful. They asserted that the decision followed a fair, open, and independently supported remarketing process that assessed 30 bids across all five cafés. The Corporation also noted that the ongoing proceedings divert charitable resources that could otherwise be used for maintaining and improving the open spaces.