Playground survey shows city park is an area of safety concern

Playground survey shows city park is an area of safety concern
Playground Survey Shows City Park Is An Area With Undue Safety Concerns

A park in East Lancashire has been named one of the UK's best parks for safety complaints according to new research.

From 2019 to August 2022, Victory Park in Barnoldswick was ranked 7th in the UK's top ten playgrounds list with the most recorded safety complaints.

The Simpson Millar law firm conducted the nationwide investigation after seeing a number of reviews from the mother and father that raised safety concerns.

Victory Park on Skipton Road, Barnoldswick has received a total of seven complaints in 2019 and 2022, ranking seventh on the list.

Woodsend Park in Greater Manchester ranked first with a total of 27 safety complaints.

The Pendle City Council is responsible for the upkeep of the park and responded to the survey results.

A spokesperson said: "Pendle City Council currently has a contract with Barnoldswick City Council to inspect and carry out minor repairs to playground equipment at Victory Park.

“Most of the complaints received are related to the skate park, which may be very old and needs to be changed.

“Barnoldswick City Council is responsible for these tools and has been trying to find ways to fund them.

"A group of local volunteers is raising funds to support efforts to replace the skate park."

The law firm also listed Hordley Street Park in Burnley in the top 10 list, but the local council disputed the creation of Simpson Millar's report and its findings.

The council mentioned that seven "general" complaints were made between 2019 and August 2022, but these were not "safety complaints" as the survey claimed.

Simon Goff, Head of Green Spaces and Facilities, mentioned: “The complaints were about points similar to bins that needed to be emptied, which shows that the playground is popular.

"None of the Hordley St complaints were related to security issues."

There have been no accident or playground damage claims for at least eight years.