Take the kids to the local playground? Kerr-ching that'll be 20 quid please

[joe_bloggs*]

Conservative-controlled Wandsworth council bulldozed a public playground in Battersea Park, spent £250,000 on building a new one and then handed it over to a private company which is going to charge parents £20 for each child to use.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/the-council-playground-in-london-that-costs-20-a-time-9071437....

I suppose they should be out working up chimneys and all that sort of stuff,It's us "hard working taxpayers" who are paying you know

[fionajohnston]

they'd rather the kids were either cooped up indoors or out vandalising

[5129frederick]

I've just read the article and I really, really hope that NOBODY USES IT!  How DARE THEY RIP UP A PERFECTLY GOOD PLAYGROUND, AND HAND IT OVER TO A PRIVATE CONSORTIUM WHO WILL CHARGE ENTRANTS TWENTY QUID A THROW.  I hope they all lose out - HEAVILY!  GRRR!

[saasher2012]

I would think at £20 a head most families won't be able to go even if they wanted to anyway!

[bankhaunter]

The basic facilities – including rope swings, chain ladders, tube slides and zip wires – will remain free to use.

[joe_bloggs*]

We had a similar thing in our area,the council built a playground (after much local lobbying) at the end of our estate,I took my grandson (18months old) to have a good time on the swings and slides etc,A "commitee member" asked me if my grandson lived locally,I told her no,actually he lives in South Shields,The look of horror on her face was astounding,she spluttered out,no,no ,no,this facility is for local residents children only! As i helped him back onto one of the swings i said,what are you going to do arrest him?

A week or two later,my partner was asked if she would like to join the "park commitee"  by this same woman,needless to say my partner put her right on one or two points,she didn't join by the way