Recently, the Chair of the City’s Hampstead Heath Committee published an open letter regarding the future of the park cafés.

We have taken legal advice on its contents, and this is what we would like to say for the moment.

This is about process, fairness, and community. Our legal challenge focuses on whether the decision-making process was lawful. We believe it was opaque, unfair, and failed to consult the people the parks serve.

The Chairman appears dismayed by the overwhelming support you—as heath and park users—have given us. The suggestion that this is a "private beef" misrepresents the thousands of local residents, community groups, two local MPs, and three councillors who have backed the campaign for affordable, inclusive cafés and expressed dismay at how this has been handled.

Because we have had no other route, this has become a legal challenge. Thanks to public backing, we have secured top pro bono legal support. Though our wonderful barristers are working for free, we still need a fighting fund to cover essential costs. Our opponents hope that by discrediting us, they can dry up the modest but necessary cash we need to keep fighting the unfair decision taken in December.

We will not be drawn into a public debate that distracts from the core legal issues. We have asked the City, through formal legal channels, to pause the evictions and justify their process. We are now waiting for their reply.

We are committed to a respectful process, have always acted in good faith, and will continue to do so. Our aim is to ensure the charitable purpose of the Heath is upheld through a fair, transparent, and lawful process.

Our energy is now entirely focused on the urgent legal steps to prevent the irreversible loss of these community cafés in only a few days' time.

We owe a great debt of gratitude to everyone who continues to stand with us.