Fresh controversy has erupted over the future of beloved North London park cafés after it emerged the winning bidder had previous commercial relationships with the consultants hired to run the tender process.
Prior Dealings Between Operator and Agent
The City of London Corporation, which manages Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood, and Queen's Park as a registered charity, appointed specialist agency Davis Coffer Lyons (DCL) last summer to find new operators for five cafés. In December, it announced that the Aussie-inspired business Daisy Green, founded by Prue Freeman and Thomas Onions, had been awarded the contracts for four of them: Golders Hill Park, Parliament Hill, Parliament Hill Lido, and Queen's Park. The contract for Highgate Wood café remains unresolved.
It has now come to light that DCL and Daisy Green have a history of working together. Public records show DCL acted for Daisy Green to secure a lease on Noel Street in Soho in 2018. More recently, in July 2024, DCL published news on its own website about securing a site for Daisy Green in Clapham Old Town. Another instance from August 2024 details DCL bringing Daisy Green to a site on Exhibition Road.
Campaigners Cry Foul Over Due Diligence
The discovery has sparked concern among campaigners who fought to keep the existing operators, including the D'Auria family which has run the Parliament Hill Fields Café for over 40 years. A petition to halt the handover has already gathered more than 14,000 signatures, with supporters including actors Benedict Cumberbatch and James McAvoy worried about losing the community feel and affordable prices.
Doug Crawford of the Real Café Campaign stated the findings suggest the Corporation "failed to carry out proper due diligence" to ensure no conflict of interest. He drew parallels with a similar tender process involving Benugo in 2016.
The City of London Corporation strongly denies any conflict. A spokesperson stated DCL acted only as advisors and was not involved in the final decision. They argued that preventing advisors from working on processes involving firms they have previously encountered "would be neither realistic nor industry practical," given DCL's wide-ranging work in the London hospitality sector.
Defence from All Sides
Alderman Gregory Jones KC, Chair of the relevant Corporation committee, said Daisy Green presented the strongest blend of quality, sustainability, affordability, and community value. He praised their commitment to enhancing facilities and celebrating each café's distinctive character.
Prue Freeman emphasised Daisy Green is a female-led, independent business that started from a single ice cream van in 2012. She assured that all current jobs are safe, menus have been tailored for affordability, and significant investment is planned for the cafés.
A DCL spokesperson confirmed they are not retained by Daisy Green and have not dealt with them on any transactions since being appointed by the Corporation. They noted that out of 30 submissions, there were other parties they had engaged with in the past, and it would be "impossible" for there to be no previous commercial relationships. All parties, they insisted, were given equal opportunity.
The Corporation launched the retendering to move the cafés off 'unsustainable' tenancies at-will and ensure a high-quality visitor experience. The final decision on the fifth café at Highgate Wood is still pending.
