Making Clissold Park, its buildings, facilities and activities accessible to as many people as possible has been a recurring part of CPUG’s work.
Our surviving records show the group raising practical barriers to access, scrutinising proposals for Clissold House and the park, discussing accessible facilities and representing concerns raised by disabled park users. Accessibility has also influenced how CPUG itself operates, including how people can participate in our meetings.
Hackney Council owns and manages Clissold Park and is responsible for its facilities and accessibility. CPUG’s role is to raise issues, represent park users and contribute to discussions about improvements.
Access to the park
Questions about physical access appear in some of CPUG’s earliest surviving records.
In 2004 the group discussed alternatives to the entrance barrier at Queen Elizabeth’s Walk.
In 2007, discussions resulted in agreement to reposition vehicle-control bollards after CPUG raised concerns about their proposed location.
Access also became an important consideration during planning for the major restoration of Clissold Park and House. CPUG argued that the project should be inclusive and raised practical questions about entrances, paths, buildings and movement around the park.
Later meetings continued to consider vehicle access and how entrances could work for different park users.
Accessibility and the restoration
As plans for the restoration developed, CPUG continued to scrutinise accessibility alongside other aspects of the project.
During the construction period in 2011, CPUG representatives carried out an access inspection and raised concerns about aspects of the works.
The restoration created major changes to paths, entrances, Clissold House and other facilities. CPUG’s involvement formed part of its wider role in representing park users throughout the planning and delivery of the project.
Access to Clissold House
Clissold House has been a particularly persistent focus.
Following its reopening in 2012, CPUG raised concerns about access to the restored building and its café. The group sent detailed correspondence about the House, café and facilities and continued to raise practical access and maintenance issues.
Accessibility to the House remained on the agenda in subsequent years. In 2023, for example, meetings again raised problems concerning the lift and accessible toilets.
These recurring discussions show that completing a major restoration did not end questions about accessibility. How facilities operate and are maintained can be as important as their original design.
Facilities and everyday access
CPUG’s accessibility work has also involved the everyday details that affect whether people can comfortably use the park.
Over the years meetings have considered issues including benches, toilets, gates, paths, entrances and access to facilities.
CPUG has also considered affordability as part of access. During the restoration period this included discussion of concessionary rates.
In 2021 concerns were raised about the accessibility of seating.
More recent meetings have continued to raise unresolved issues with facilities around the park, as well as café prices and whether facilities within a public park remain accessible to a broad range of users.
Making our meetings more accessible
Access and inclusion also apply to participation in CPUG itself.
As early as 2003 the group arranged a crèche at meetings to make it easier for parents and carers of young children to attend.
In 2021 CPUG explored ways for people to participate in meetings online. In 2022 online participation was introduced alongside attendance in person, the first recorded use of a hybrid format in the surviving archive.
This has provided another way for people who may not be able to attend a meeting in Clissold House to take part in the group’s discussions.
Accessible play
Accessibility also overlaps with CPUG’s long-running work on children and play.
In 2025 CPUG’s accessibility representative raised concerns about a playground swing intended for disabled children that was considered unsuitable. Following discussions with Hackney Council, the swing was replaced.
The wider renovation of the playground is a separate Council project, but accessibility continues to be an important consideration as proposals for the playground develop.
A continuing part of our work
The meaning of access has broadened over the years. It includes physical access to paths, entrances, buildings and facilities, but also whether people can use services, participate in activities and have their views represented.
Some issues have been resolved while others have returned repeatedly to CPUG meetings. Our role has been to identify barriers, listen to park users and raise concerns with Hackney Council while contributing to discussions about possible improvements.
Access and inclusion remain active areas of CPUG’s work today.