GREEN FLAG AWARD WON BOTH VICTORIA PARK AND FOR CITY RECREATION GROUND FOR ANOTHER YEAR!
Victoria Park has once again been recognised as one of the finest green spaces, having retained its prestigious Green Flag Award for 2025/26. This internationally recognised honour, managed by the Green Flag Award Scheme, marks another milestone since the park first received the award in 2019.
In a further triumph, City Recreation Ground has also retained its Green Flag status, first awarded in 2023 following a successful submission by Newbury Town Council.
The Green Flag Award is the benchmark of excellence for parks and green spaces, signifying the highest environmental standards, outstanding maintenance, and exceptional visitor facilities. This year, judges highlighted the Town Council’s strong commitment to environmental engagement, the restoration of Victoria Park’s historic bandstand, and the park’s vibrant planting schemes.
When evaluating Victoria Park, judges praised it as a vital open space for the Newbury community, offering a wide range of facilities and activities. They also noted the park’s rich heritage, its inclusive atmosphere, and the diversity of its visitors, both young and old.
Cllr Vaughan Miller, Chair of the Council’s Community Services Committee, commented, “We are absolutely delighted to retain Green Flag status for Victoria Park and equally proud to see City Recreation Ground receive this honour for the third consecutive year.”
He continued, saying, “Since first securing Green Flag recognition for Victoria Park in 2019, our dedicated team—alongside our contractors, John O’Conner Grounds Maintenance Ltd—has worked tirelessly to uphold and enhance the standards across both parks. We’re especially looking forward to the refurbishment of the Community Café later this year, which will restore an important social space in the heart of Victoria Park.”
Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said, “Congratulations to everyone involved in Newbury who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it achieves the high standards required for the Green Flag Award.
Quality parks and green spaces like Victoria Park and City Recreation Ground make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest. Crucially, they are vital green spaces for communities to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”
Contact:
James Heasman, Parks & Open Spaces Supervisor james.heasman@newbury.gov.uk 07775 434475
Cllr Vaughan Miller, Chair Community Services Committee vaughan.miller@newbury.gov.uk 07810 543425
