Users value fencing in London park, study finds

UK researchers have found that fencing in and around Finsbury Park, London is generally perceived as beneficial by local stakeholders, albeit with some exceptions.

Park fences can divide opinion as well as space, with some inclined to remove perimeter fencing for better access and others minded to keep it for protection.

However, following years of engagement with users, scientists reported broad support for both the perimeter and internal fences of Finsbury Park.

In fact, users were keen for fencing to be upgraded rather than removed, with opportunities to improve access through better entry points, longer opening hours, and more open activities.

The only exception to this attitude was the kind of temporary fencing often used to enclose festivals in parks, due to its appearance, connotations, and pay-wall function.

These findings may be indicative of wider attitudes towards fencing in UK parks and worth noting for BALI members, both designers of public spaces and fencing contractors.