The Speaker’s Corner is a special platform where open-air public discussions and speaking have occurred many times. The place also holds debates and enables people to express their rights of speech as long as it is lawful. The scene facilitated many public protests in London such as the protests riots in 1855 to address the Sunday Trading Bill. The park has therefore been very important for people to express their emotions and through public meetings and has facilitated many reforms. Redesigning the Speaker’s Corner as planned by the Royal Parks will interfere with its historical importance as a place free speech.

Since the new design will favor pop concerts instead of the historical public address, and its size will be reduced. Some facilities in the park such as the toilet are no longer there and without consultation with the right parties, the redesigning of the park does not serve the right users. First, it was importance for the Royal Parks to consult the Speaker’s Corner community before doing anything in the park. The Royal Parks cannot be trusted with their motives as in the past, they interfered with the design by erecting a merry-go-round and turned it into a commercial events platform contrary to its historical purpose. Another factor that makes the redesigning of the park undesirable is the state of the toilets that were closed denying the poor and homeless a place to answer their call of nature. The stench from the human waste can be overwhelming to the users posing a health risk and should be addressed as the first issue.

Other services such as refreshment charges in the cafes are unaffordable to many people meaning only the well-off people and not the people who used it in the earlier times. Security is of concern in the Speaker’s Corner, as police officers are no longer patrolling the area yet in the earlier times police presence reduced the rate of crime in the area. The redesigning of the Speaker’s Corner is not a good move, as it does not protect the environment from pollution but to make it favorable for free speech. The cry from the public is to for the Royal Parks to keep off the Speakers Corner and have it free for the traditional functions as it has been for many years. The users of the park may not have powers to stop the redesigning, but the authorities should ensure that any changes are for the public interest.

The park should be retained for the historical purpose such as free speech and demonstrations and not for the rich presenters like pop stars. Redesigning of the park is a good thing but the design should not alter the sole purpose of the Speaker’s Corner. Restoring of the public toilets, security, and reduction of pollution should be the key issues instead of transforming it into a new arena for other purposes. The most important thing is ensuring that the park has a modern design, but its historical functions must be retained.