Hackney Marshes has always been more than just a set of football pitches — it’s a lifeline. For decades, it has been the beating heart of grassroots football in London, giving thousands of people, especially young men, the chance to belong, grow, and escape the pressures of everyday life. Now, proposed new parking charges at the Marshes car park threaten to unravel all of that.
As someone running a Community Interest Company (CIC) which is a grassroots football team, I can tell you firsthand how damaging this would be. Our work isn’t just about football — it’s about using sport to steer young men away from crime, to support mental health, and to give people purpose.
The Marshes is one of the few places left where that kind of work can happen on a meaningful scale. And it’s already expensive. We pay pitch fees, registration fees, equipment costs — you name it. Adding excessive parking fees on top is not just unnecessary; it’s greedy.
For community teams like mine, where coaches volunteer their time and resources, these new charges could be the final straw. The proposed rates on Saturdays and Sundays are higher than what’s charged at Westfield shopping centre. That’s outrageous.
We’re not going shopping — we’re out here giving back to the community, often paying out of pocket to keep our teams going. What message does that send?
Transport to the Marshes is also a real challenge. Only two bus routes go near the site, and the nearest train station, Homerton, is about a mile away. Coaches like myself carry kit bags, footballs, corner flags and other vital pieces of equipment needed to play the game safely.
It’s not realistic to expect us to do that on public transport. On top of that, many of our players come from outside the borough. Picking them up, making sure they get to games safely. These things take planning, time, and cars. These charges punish the people doing the work on the ground.
Some may argue it’s about controlling traffic. But let’s be honest; there will always be traffic in that area, with the Copper Box Arena and West Ham’s London Stadium just around the corner. LTNs haven't been the most supportive for traffic control in Hackney either. Footballers and families going to play on the Marshes are not the problem. They’re part of the solution which is keeping young people engaged, active, and out of trouble.
This is like putting a cherry on top of a carvery. It's completely out of place and entirely meaningless
These fees will force many teams to drop out of the leagues. It’s already hard enough to keep a team going with the rising cost of living. This pushes grassroots football further out of reach for many families. What was once a community activity, something accessible and unifying, is now becoming a privilege only a few can afford.
I’ve been playing at Hackney Marshes since I was 14 years old. I grew up in Upper Clapton and moved to Nightingale Estate in my teenage years. I lost one friend to suicide and another to knife crime — both of them were amazing footballers with huge potential. I started this team to make an impact on my community, to stop more lives being lost to violence and silence.
Men's mental health is something that isn't spoken about a lot. Football is a great help for it. Hackney Council hasn’t supported this work — they’ve only added barriers. This is just another one.
For me, the Marshes has always been more than just football — it’s been an escape. For those 90 minutes, nothing else matters. Life’s stresses, personal struggles, and outside pressures melt away. My partner, who battles with her mental health, never misses a game. She always says that there’s something about standing on the green, watching our team play, that makes the world feel okay for a while.
My dad, who’s disabled and also struggles with his mental health, comes down every Sunday with his little camping chair. And when he’s there, surrounded by the energy, the passion, the community — he becomes a different person. No one has the right to take that feeling away from anyone.
Families from all different backgrounds go to the Marshes to socialise and share one simple thing together — the love of the game. We’re doing something powerful here: we’re keeping young men away from crime, helping people cope with life, creating something positive for everyone. The Marshes is more than a pitch — it’s a sanctuary, a family. I love seeing the kids playing before us and the women’s teams after. We’re all connected.
These new charges? They’re unnecessary. Hackney Marshes already brings in enough through pitch fees and events. This is like putting a cherry on top of a carvery. It's completely out of place and entirely meaningless. It doesn’t add value. It takes something away.
As a coach, as a community leader, and as someone who sees the impact of grassroots sport every single day, I urge Hackney Council to rethink this plan. We need to be investing in our young people, not putting up more barriers. These charges don’t just hurt teams. They hurt families, friendships, mental health, and ultimately, the wider community. I was born and bred in Hackney. I don't understand why now more than ever, we're not being supported.
Hackney Marshes should remain a place for everyone. Let’s protect it, not price people out of it.
Riza Demirbas is the founder of Onetouchables FC
