Lib Dems call for Labour council to cancel Walpole Park Troubadour plan

15 Oct 2026

The proposal for a temporary theatre by Troubadour (1200 seats) in Walpole Park has evoked a visceral reaction in many residents of Ealing, who have signed various petitions in the thousands. If it goes ahead it would result in the removal of the heart of Walpole Park from public use and will stop the highly successful Ealing festivals which have been built up over decades.

Ealing Lib Dems instigated a debate on this matter at Ealing Council on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. Speakers included Cllrs Ksenia Maximova and William Francis (Walpole) each made their maiden speech rejecting the proposals. They are demanding that Ealing Labour withdraws the proposal to establish Troubadour Theatre in Walpole Park and does not grant a lease for this purpose.

Ealing Lib Dems are acting on residents’ concerns who are incandescent about this new proposal which surpasses the poor implementation of the drainage ditch in adjoining Lammas Park, which has become a local centre for drug dealing and has been reported to the police on several occasions!

Ealing Lib Dems have a live petition which currently sits at over 3,500 signatures (on 13 October), whilst other petitions have been closed. The threshold levels of a petition to trigger a debate was substantially raised by Ealing Labour to reduce debate on resident matters. However in this matter, it failed to stop residents to voice their objections.

Ealing Lib Dems are demanding that the council conducts a full consultation on the proposal and searches for alternative brownfield locations elsewhere in the borough. They are keen to ensure that current providers of existing summer festivals are actively engaged in any consultation.

Main concerns against the Troubadour Theatre in Walpole Park include:

Potential detriment to established local institutions like Questors, Ealing Studios and Pitzhanger Manor.
Negative impact on local infrastructure including electricity and water demands, increased parking and congested traffic flows (in an already constrained area of the borough).
Environmental impact on the park and its wildlife.
Disturbance of residents in terms of noises, crowd number and reduced enjoyment of the park itself.
Likely increased litter, anti-social behaviour, and disturbance associated with large volumes of visitors leaving events late in the evening.
So far no consultation with residents through narrow legal interpretations.
Absence of transparency and openness and anti-democratic approach.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Connie Hersch Shadow Spokesperson for Culture, Sport, Communities & Crime said: "Liberal Democrats think that replacing the longstanding Ealing Summer Festivals programme with a much more risky and financially unstable model of a large theatre just over the road from the largest community theatre in Europe is madness! It is not wanted by residents, takes up the middle of the park green space and seems a risky venture given that Troubadour in Enfield was recently terminated with a large financial penalty for the Council.”

Councillor Ksenia Maximova (Walpole Ward) said: “Liberal Democrats say a consultation which begins after a decision has been made is not a consultation, rather it is an explanation, which excludes residents from the debate. Walpole residents are still hurting from the extended poor implementation of the SUDs drainage ditch in adjoining Lammas Park which has now become a haven for Class A drug use. We urge an urgent rethink on this matter so Walpole Park can be saved from this mad Labour plan.”