Opportunity for ice cream and mobile café concessions in parks

Tower Hamlets has many beautiful parks and open spaces used by both residents and visitors to the borough.

We have a great opportunity for local businesses to trade in our parks for the summer season in 2024.

We are seeking to license:

- ice cream vans and

- mobile café operators at fixed pitches. 

We have opportunities in parks across the borough for vendors who have Public Liability Insurance and Food Hygiene Certificate.

If you are interested in applying, please email parks@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Awards and performance

Green Flag Awards

Green Flag Award

The Green Flag Award is the national standards for parks and open spaces in England and Wales. The scheme was established in 1996 and is managed by The Civic Trust. Each green space is judged against criteria ranging from sustainability to health and safety.  Winning a Green Flag Award is a sign of prestige and excellence. Only the best parks win the award. Being nominated is an achievement in itself as the selection criteria is rigorous.
Fourteen Tower Hamlets parks and open spaces currently hold this prestigious award. This is the highest number of awards we have ever achieved. Our Green Flag parks are:

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, Bromley-By-Bow Recreation Ground (also known as Bob's Park),  Mudchute Park and Stepney City Farm also hold Green Flag Awards.
Each year the council's parks and open spaces service aims to increase the number of Green Flag parks. For more information on the Green Flag Award scheme visit the Green Flag Award website.

London in Bloom

London in Bloom is an environmental campaign which aims to inspire communities to invigorate their green spaces. It aims to encourage residents to make their area a brighter and greener place. London in Bloom is one of 18 regional campaigns across the country. Finalists are nominated for Britain in Bloom organised by the Royal Horticultural Society.

There are 13 categories in the awards, based on population size. These range from large city to a neighbourhood of less than 300 inhabitants. There are also discretionary awards. These include Front Garden Award and Community Garden Award. 

In 2023 we won eight gold awards and were the overall winner in four of these categories.  This is a record achievement for the borough. 

London in Bloom Awards 2023
City                   London Borough of Tower Hamlets  Gold award
Town/City Centre   Canary Wharf      Gold award and category winner

Large Conservation:                                                                         

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Gold award and category winner
Heritage Park/Garden  Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Gold award
Heritage Park/Garden  Victoria Park Gold award
Large Park (above 25 acres)     Victoria Park Gold award
Business Landscape                   Canary Wharf Gold award and category winner

Large Cemetery/Crematorium     

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Gold award and category winner