Royal Park gardeners strike for better pay

Staff at Regent’s Park begin 24-hour walkout saying they are paid a ‘pittance’ to maintain the 410-acre site

AWARD-WINNING gardeners have gone on strike in a row over pay discrepancies at London’s Royal Parks.

Regent’s Park garden staff began a 24-hour walkout yesterday, claiming they are paid a “pittance” to look after the sprawling 410-acre site.

Known as the “jewel in the crown” of the eight Royal Parks, Regent’s boasts the capital’s largest collection of roses.

Members of the GMB union at the park said they earn a minimum of just £11.95 an hour, but staff at other Royal Parks – such as Hyde Park and Green Park – are paid at least £13.03.

The 30-strong workforce at Regent’s Park is employed by contractor Idverde on behalf of The Royal Parks charity, which oversees management of the “lungs of London” beauty spots.

GMB claimed skilled gardeners at Regent’s Park – who last year won the top prize for excellence in grounds maintenance at the National Landscaping Awards – were leaving their roles as a result of the pay gap.

A spokesman said: “These highly skilled gardeners have won several awards for their work over the past few years.

“It’s a shame their employer Idverde and the Royal Parks do not recognise it and pay them a pittance – less than colleagues working in other parks.

“They maintain these grounds for the benefit of all Londoners, but they now face the ugly prospect of being priced out of their own city.”

Idverde, which manages ground maintenance payroll at seven of the eight Royal Parks, said it was “disappointed” by the strike action, but said it was in talks with employees and was “hopeful of a workable resolution”.

A spokesman said there may be variances in pay across the parks due to the nature of individual contracts, as well as differences in skills that could also affect remuneration. Idverde has held the contract for Regent’s since 2014, and took on the running of six other parks in 2022.

The Royal Parks insisted all staff working on outsourced ground maintenance contracts are paid, at minimum, the London Living Wage, but conceded there may be exceptions to this rule.

“Other than this, the terms and conditions of staff employed by those contractors are decided by their employers,” a spokesman said.

“The only exception to this is fixedterm apprentices, who are paid National Living Wage while studying for a Level 2 qualification.”

The London Living Wage was £11.95 an hour, but employers have to raise it by 10pc to £13.15 before May. The Royal Parks said this uplift will be brought in before April at all of its parks.

Regent’s Park, home to London Zoo and an acclaimed open air theatre, draws in more than eight million visitors a year. It is the third largest of the Royal Parks, behind Richmond and Bushy.

The Royal Parks prides itself on tending to the “most famous collection of urban parks in the world”.

Meanwhile, the Queen said “eating your own vegetables is incredibly special” as she spoke about how she loves gardening at Highgrove House.

Speaking during a visit to St John’s Foundation almshouses in Bath to mark the group’s 850th anniversary, she praised the virtues of tending to the 18-year-old vegetable patch at the King’s private Gloucestershire home, describing it as “a wonderful way to pass the time”.

‘They have won several awards, but face the ugly prospect of being priced out of their own city’