An 89-year-old retired teacher in St John's Wood, central London, has been ordered by Westminster City Council to dismantle a street garden she has cultivated for more than 25 years, sparking a community campaign to save the beloved green space. Katharine Hoskyns received a formal removal notice in July requiring her to take away a bench and over 20 plant pots positioned on the pavement outside her home. The deadline specified in the notice has since passed without enforcement action, though the council has indicated it may pursue the matter further.
Hoskyns established the garden after parking spaces were introduced on the street, transforming the area into a horticultural display featuring geraniums, tomatoes, and herbs cultivated with assistance from neighbours. The petition launched by her son has accumulated more than 190 signatures from residents who value the space. According to local reporting, the complaint reportedly originated from a new neighbour, and the council initially classified the pots as a highway obstruction.
Why did the council take action?
Westminster City Council cited anti-social behaviour linked to the bench as the primary reason for the removal order. The authority stated that examples of disturbance in the area included drug-related activity and discarded rubbish. Additionally, the council's letter raised safety concerns, noting that fallen pots could cause injury and that the bench's structural integrity had not been confirmed. A council spokesperson explained:
Following a series of resident complaints and attempts to resolve this dispute informally over several years, the council was, reluctantly, obliged to begin a formal process. Residents should be able to live without anti-social behaviour impacting on their lives. Moving this bench will help reduce the recent disturbance in the area.
What does Hoskyns say about the allegations?
Hoskyns disputes the council's characterisation of the site. She stated she has never witnessed anti-social behaviour at the location and rejected claims that the pots obstruct the pavement. Despite using a walking frame, she said she is able to pass the pots freely. According to reporting from September, Hoskyns believed only one neighbour objected to the garden, and she noted that the council had previously installed CCTV to monitor the bench area.
The retired teacher, who has lived in the area since the 1960s, emphasised the personal and social value the garden provides. She explained:
This space is important to me because I love gardening and it gives me plenty to do. I need an occupation in my retirement. People come up and talk to me while I'm doing it, so it gives me a bit of a social life as well.When she first received the removal notice, she said:
I was very upset and angry when I first got the letter, but then my family all rallied round and wrote a letter to the council and started this petition.
What do neighbours think?
Local residents have rallied behind Hoskyns, viewing the garden as an integral part of the neighbourhood's character. Neighbour Holly Bell-Stevens articulated the community perspective:
We have this quiet oasis within the City of Westminster, and removing the pots means it would just become another concrete corner. My children learned how to ride their bikes in this corner. We walk our dogs here. It cultivates a community and it touches everyone.Residents indicated they would welcome collaborative efforts with the council to preserve the garden's future.
What is the current status?
The situation has entered a holding pattern following media coverage of the dispute. Westminster City Council put enforcement action on hold and said it was re-checking the case after local reporting, with officers now looking again at whether the pots and bench are causing problems. The garden may remain in place "for now" pending this review. However, the council has not abandoned its position entirely, and further enforcement could still follow if the reassessment concludes that removal is necessary.
The council stated it remained hopeful of resolving the matter amicably and expressed willingness to work with Hoskyns to relocate the bench and pots to a more suitable location if removal ultimately proceeds. No date for a final decision has been publicly announced.
Key Facts
- Katharine Hoskyns, 89, has tended the street garden for over 25 years in response to parking changes on the street
- The removal notice cited anti-social behaviour, safety concerns about fallen pots, and unconfirmed structural safety of the bench
- A community petition has gathered more than 190 signatures in support of preserving the garden
- The council has temporarily halted enforcement action to re-examine whether the pots and bench actually cause the problems alleged
- Hoskyns disputes the anti-social behaviour claims and believes only one neighbour lodged a complaint
