Lincoln’s Inn: Friends fight against filming and fashion

Friends of Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the location of Edwin Coe’s offices, are fighting a proposal to hold a catwalk show in the public gardens during London Fashion Week.

The gardens in Lincoln’s Inn are open to the public and offer an oasis of calm in the centre of London for local residents, workers, students and visitors. The peace has been somewhat disrupted in recent years because the Inn has become a popular filming location for big-budget Hollywood films such as Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and popular British television shows such as Downton Abbey. Locals have previously called for a moratorium on filming after saying they felt “under siege”.

The recent quarrel stems from the plans to hold a one hour catwalk show in the gardens which would result in seven days’ disruption. The Friends of Lincoln’s Inn Fields, which represents local residents and businesses, are strongly opposed to the plans which they consider would result in significant disruption to users of the gardens and set a dangerous precedent for the future. The group has threatened Camden Council with an injunction and substantial damages if the event proceeds. Robert McCracken QC, Chairman of the Friends of Lincoln’s Inn Fields, has written to Camden citing the London Squares Preservation Act 1931 which limits the use of protected squares to ornamental gardens, pleasure grounds or grounds for play, rest or recreation.

Camden Council has defended the proposals as only at the initial conversation stage and stated that the event would raise £25,000 profit, an important consideration due to current budget cuts.

Those living near a public garden or square in London should take note of this dispute as if Camden is able to go ahead with the catwalk show this may encourage other local authorities to use this as a precedent to monetise similar public spaces. This may result in a number of injunction applications as locals seek to protect their rights.

Lincoln’s Inn locals will need to watch this space to see whether the controversial catwalk show goes ahead or is stopped in its tracks.

If you are concerned about an event occurring locally to you, you may have a claim under the London Squares Preservation Act 1931 or in nuisance. If you would like any further information in this regard, please get in contact with our Property Litigation Team.

Joanna Osborne – Edwin Coe – joanna.osborne@edwincoe.com
Shams Rahman – Edwin Coe – shams.rahman@edwincoe.com
Lucy Hollis – Edwin Coe – lucy.hollis@edwincoe.com
Aisha Khan – Edwin Coe – aisha.khan@edwincoe.com

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