Hampstead Heath and the battle over London's green spaces

Hello and welcome to London Centric, where we’re revisiting the gnarly topic of how the capital’s green spaces should be paid for.

This summer we reported extensively on the row over local authorities renting out parks to huge ticketed events. One story that sent enraged park-loving Londoners into our inbox in their droves was our scoop about a secret plan to make money out of Hampstead Heath, revealed in leaked documents from the City of London Corporation.

Today we return to that story, and the news that the ancient organisation, which owns the Heath, could replace local cafe owners in a “competitive re-marketing process” — and is considering changes to some of London’s other treasured green spaces.

Scroll to the end for that.

But first, some “personal news”: London Centric has been nominated in four categories at the British Journalism Awards. Given we’re a tiny year-old operation which is entirely funded by our subscribers and run from a kitchen table, we’re extremely chuffed. Thanks to every reader and all paying subscribers who make what we do possible.

“The fault is not ours”: We talk to the owner of the closed London restaurant who berated locals for not eating there.

When Italian restaurant Don Ciccio announced it was shutting its Highgate venue after six years, it appeared to be another victim of the general squeeze on hospitality in the capital. But rather than bid locals a fond farewell, the north London restaurant opted for a more aggressive approach.

“To the community of Highgate and its neighbours – thank you for never supporting us, not even once,” said a statement from restaurant owner Marco Claudio Valente. “We may be the first Italian restaurant to close… not for bad food, bad reviews, or bad luck – but for the sheer indifference of our neighbours.”

He continued: “It wasn’t enough to be Traveller’s Choice… on Tripadvisor. It wasn’t enough to be told we had one of the best pizzas in London. It wasn’t enough to hold 4.7 stars on Google, with 700 reviews, for every one of those six years. Nor to change our menu each season, roaming through the flavours of Italy.”

But who is Valente? And why was he so angry? London Centric spoke to him to find out.

Speaking on the phone from Italy, Valente called his post “a true and