(Here is our new website www.realcafescampaign.com

Thank you all for making this a petition that has really achieved lift off, going from nothing to more than 20,000 in little more than four weeks. You have told us how much you value the fact that the City Corporation's north london open spaces cafes are rooted in local history, with their own quirky traditions, their deep knowledge of their own communities, and the way they are priced to serve customers not investors.

We ask you to do three things: sign this petition, help our legal battle with any contribution you can spare (link below) and now consider joining us in the Real Cafés Campaign, which is becoming a formal membership organisation (a community interest company). If this interests you please email realcafescampaign@gmail.com

On 19 December, the City of London Corporation told five long-standing, independent park cafés in Queens Park, Highgate Wood, and Hampstead Heath that they would be evicted within weeks. Four are set to be handed to the Daisy Green chain—which already runs over 20 venues across London. The risks the owners took to build their businesses would translate into rewards for Daisy Green.

Usually a contract worth, over the years, tens of millions of pounds would be subject to special legal safeguards, specified under the Procurement Act 2023. But the City for some reason has chosen to represent this as a 'leasing opportunity': a commercial exercise to raise money for the charities that run the open spaces which in reality are the city corporation wearing another hat. 

But charities exist for specific purposes, not just for income. Battersea Dogs Home might be offered a tempting sum by Cruella de Vil to be allowed to rehome their stray Dalmatians, but legally they would have to refuse. No comparison is intended with the new preferred bidders—but not everything is, or should be, for sale. That was the principle that gave us Hampstead Heath and that motivated the campaigners who bequeathed it to us, Octavia Hill, the founder of the National Trust, and Henrietta Barnett.

We’re now preparing a legal challenge to force a fair, transparent process. But we need your help. Please sign this petition and if you have any spare cash give it to the separate crowdfunder dedicated to hiring lawyers https://gofund.me/4993acf55. Don't give money to change.org -- we don't see any of it.

You can read the Hoxton Beach offer to the City made in September relating to three of the sites, but apparently not shared with the decision making committee on

 https://veganconfidential.substack.com

Updates on  https://www.instagram.com/realcafescampaign/ and https:/www.instagram.com/lido.cafe/

We call on the City of London Corporation to:

Halt the handover to Daisy Green.
Release all data from the 2023 café user survey that we believe showed customers were entirely happy with the existing operators.
Re-run the process transparently, with clear criteria and proper community input or better still, negotiate direct awards of long term contracts with the existing operators.