To think this park should be open later than 6:30 even if the local residents disagree?

[Johnlewisgaddis]

Context: We live in a town in the south of England. My daughter, who is almost 11, wants to have an outdoor picnic with 20 other kids for her birthday in a few weeks. We only have a tiny garden, so won’t be able to fit them all in. Therefore, we need to have said picnic in a local park.

There’s a very big park in town, but that’s not very nice in the evenings because lots of local teenagers congregate there and smoke cigarettes/weed.
I therefore thought we could have it in a lovely little park in a different part of the town. This park is on a relatively new housing development - the developers acquired some land that used to be the humongous garden of a big old house, and have turned it into about 30 houses, 20 or so flats and a park. All the flats and several of the houses look out onto the park, but the people who live there don’t have any legal rights/ownership over the park.

I assumed the park was open all the time, like the big park, but when I went this afternoon to scout out a nice picnic location, we saw a sign at the entrance that said the park closes at 6:30. This is really disappointing as we were hoping to have an evening picnic, staying until around 8/9, when the temperature is a bit cooler, and maybe get a few disposable barbecues. I called up the council to ask why the park closes so early, especially in summer, and they said that it used to be open until 9 but the residents on the housing development complained about noise from people using the park and eventually the council agreed to close it at 6:30.

AIBU to think this is really unfair? Why would you buy a flat overlooking a park if you didn’t like the sound of children playing? It’s such a lovely park and I think it’s really sad that a few people can prevent everyone else enjoying the park on summer evenings.

The sound of children playing is fine. Buy if you were planning to stay that late, I'd have been pissed off at having to hear them.

It's probably a lovely park because it closes early.

And, they might not have any "legal rights", but they may well pay for the upkeep etc. I do. I live on a new build estate with a park, and we pay every month towards it.

So you complain about the other park having lots of teenagers gathering on it but you have literally said your plan is to have 20+ teens on a park in the middle of a house estate having a BBQ for several hours, granted they are not smoking weed but they would still be a nuisance… Can you not see the irony?

If I lived next to that kind of park I'd don't think I'd be happy about parties of 20 plus people turning up with BBQs either

As above. They don’t own it but they will paying for it.
I wouldn’t use a park on a new development as it’s not quite the same as a public space. As in not paid for with public money.
It’s a nice park exactly because it is closed in an evening.
Most children don’t play in a park at 8pm.

My DD lives close to a childrens play area. At 10.30pm last night, she was ready to murder the parents who thought it was OK for their children to be running around screaming while they sat drinking beer and wine. It may be nice for the people in the park but trying living by it.

I think it'll be the 'nicer' park precisely because it is closed in the evenings.

BBQs are banned in most parks, btw. You need to check if your eventual venue is an exception to the norm.

All the flats and several of the houses look out onto the park,

You've answered your own question there, really. It is, in effect their 'back garden'. They don't want it to become like the other park that you are trying to avoid.

Hyacinths I had the same issue as your DD almost constantly whenever it wasn’t raining. Had to move eventually because I couldn’t stand it any more.

It was only 4 or 5 families who caused the issue - not sure why they thought they had the right to disrupt everyone else’s enjoyment.

I doubt it was the skins of children play that disturbed them. More likely the smell of weed and noisy teenagers.

*sounds, I am sure they don't skin the children

I'd buy a flat,overlooking a park because I like green spaces and a nice view, not to listen to kids running about at 9pm having a bbq. Irony at it's best.

YABU to think you should have a say in the opening hours of a park that you don’t even live nearby to. Find somewhere else for the party. Any community halls with outside space near you? Or have the party on a weekend afternoon instead.

YABU

Ime the sound of children playing consists of blood curdling shrieks, squabbling and parents yelling.

Apart from that I'm completely on your side, OP. The residents of 30 houses and 20 flats should absolutely be inconvenienced indefinitely so your dd can have a party one time.

I thought this had to be a wind-up when I came to and maybe get a few disposable barbecues but sadly it seems to be genuine 😂

I’d hire a hall . But obviously no barbecues.

I live next to a park and for the last 3 nights I have had to have my bedroom window open because people have been out there until 11pm screaming shouting and smoking and I have an 11 month old trying to sleep...I wish we had a time curfew on it.

Kids making a noise in the day - fine but it takes the piss at night after a while when there is no consideration for people who live near

It wouldn't occur to me that me and a crowd of children SHOULD have access a park after the time at which it closes!
20 children? And the parents? So that could be 60.
Disposable barbecues are not allowed in most parks!
Basically it was a free venue you were after which had no rules....?

Surely, the OP is joking? OR is this a reverse?

Window closed*

YABVU