Bute Park is the people's park - it belongs to us all.  It was gifted to the people back in 1947, and Cardiff Council are supposed to look after it on our behalf. 

Instead they are closing big parts of the park down during the summer months, when we all love to use it the most, chopping down trees,  preventing sports clubs and community groups from using it, and effectively banning the public from being in their own park - with anyone who doesn’t understand the signs being 'escorted out'.

More than 90 environmental and community activists have signed an open letter to Cardiff council leader Huw Thomas protesting about the use of Bute Park for a series of events this summer.

While we understand Cardiff Council’s ambition to be a music hive there are already many venues indoors and outdoors of different sizes available to private promoters.

The park belongs to us the people and we need to work together to protect it - please sign below and share if you agree. You can also read more info below. Thank you, diolch x

More info:

The fate of our park, our sanctuary, our home, and our community is at stake. We must ensure Bute Park is protected and preserved now, and for future generations to appreciate, learn from and enjoy.

We're calling on Nia Griffiths MP (Welsh Office Minister responsible for culture, heritage and tourism) to bring together all parties - the community, Welsh Government, CADW, NRW and Cardiff Council - in a spirit of cooperation and respect to plan the future use of Bute Park, the national treasure of the capital city of Wales.

We ask that it be recognised first and foremost that our parks are for people, not private profit.

Bute Park was gifted for the people in 1947 and is the jewel in Cardiff’s crown with over 2 million visits in 2024, as well as being the “back garden” for many residents. The deed of trust set out that anything proposed for the park must be "reasonable and be within the spirit of the reasonableness of the operation of the land as public open space." 

However, this spring trees were felled, habitats removed, open lawned areas are to be ruined and large parts of the park will be closed off to the public for most weeks at the height of summer - not for maintenance to preserve and protect, but for the generation of corporate profit.

The Council’s scheme is also likely to be in breach of planning regulations. These allow a temporary permitted change of use for up to 28 days in a calendar year but in the High Court ruling on Brockwell Park (May 2025) these 28 days start from when access is denied or restricted for security fences to go up, and end when access is fully restored. Cardiff Council started the fencing on 12 June which means the park needs to be returned for full public access on or before 9 July BUT the Council has approved a gig on the evening/night of 9 July so it clearly intends to breach planning regulations as it cannot provide normal public use from the 9th.

We call on all parties to recognise the unique heritage of Bute Park – in the same way that is done with Pembrokeshire, Bannau Brycheiniog and Eryri – and put in place a group of people empowered to make decisions in the best interests of the park itself and to ensure public access for residents, local workers and the million plus visitors each year to the capital city of Wales.