Huge free adventure park that mums say is ‘one of the UK’s best’ to close ahead of £3million revamp
A HUGE free playground that was built as a royal memorial is to close ahead of a multi-million pound revamp.
The Diana Memorial Playground was built in 2000 inside Kensington Gardens.
As many as 1million people visit a year, with a huge pirate ship, beach and sensory trail.
However, it is set to close, with plans for a £3million redevelopment.
The Royal Parks charity, who runs the playground, that it would is “retain the characteristics of the existing Peter Pan-inspired playground”.
The Peter Pan elements comes from its history relating to the famous book, where it was thought to have inspired the author JM Barrie.
The garden’s park manager Andy Williams, said it would “provide more accessible and inclusive play, as well as challenging physical play, so that children of all abilities can enjoy creative and imaginative play together”.
This means the galleon ship will have new additions such as a crowds nest, wheel and telescope, as well as a double-storey stern.
A new multi-level treehouse will have a suspension bridge, new tunnel slide, seesaw bridge and slide.
And the water and sand area at the Mermaid Fountain will be expanded.
More trees and plants will be added along with seating areas and designated paths.
The playground will close from autumn 2025, and will reopen by spring 2026.
So kids will still have a chance to visit it this summer before the temporary closure.
Mums have previously raved about the park, with one saying it was the “the best playground we’ve visited”.
Another said: “Brilliant free playground, the best we’ve been to.”
Many said that they spent hours at the park, with enough to do for kids to stay entertained.
Thankfully there is also a coffee shop, snack stall and toilet block as well, so no rushing away for kids craving food.
Only kids with adults are allowed in, with a gated area and staff not allowing solo adults inside.
If you want to explore the rest of Kensington Gardens, you can also spot the unique ring-necked parakeets and even feed them.
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