Parklet installed in Lewisham to help businesses serve customers while social distancing

By Grainne Cuffe, Local Democracy Reporter

Lewisham’s first parklet is ready to use in Hither Green in a bid to increase customer numbers for businesses. 

Placed in Staplehurst Road and inside the Lewisham and Lee Green low traffic neighbourhood (LTN), it is hoped the parklet will allow local businesses to serve more customers while maintaining social distancing.  

The news comes shortly before the second national lockdown is imposed.

It is unclear if the council has any others planned for specific sites, but told businesses to “watch this space” as it is planning to publish guidance on how to apply for a parklet “soon”.  

“If you are a local business and are keen to find out more about how you too could apply for a parklet outside your shop, then watch this space as we’ll soon be publishing our guidance on how you can apply,” a spokesperson for the council said in a statement.  

Councillor Sophie McGeevor, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “We hope that this new parklet will help with social distancing and allow local businesses to serve more customers in a COVID-secure way.”

The parklet was created and funded by e-scooter sharing company Spin and community space designer YesMake.

Kay Cheng, streets program director at Spin said: “Our streets team has been working with local safe streets advocacy groups throughout the U.S., and now in the UK, to help creatively transform streets into people-centred places for people to walk or bike, scoot, or otherwise get around safely.”