FAQs
We want Gunnersbury Park to a safe and welcoming place for all our visitors. Please respect each other, keep to the guidelines below, and find out how we are working to keep you safe.
Park Use
Admission Information and Parking
Dog Policy
We welcome dogs at Gunnersbury Park. Dogs must be under control and owners must clean up after their dog. Gunnersbury Park falls under the Brentford dog control order which also means that the maximum number of dogs one person can walk is four.
There are some places that we ask you to not take your dog. This includes the museum and playgrounds. Assistance dogs are welcome across the entire estate.
BBQs
BBQs are not permitted in Gunnersbury Park. For more information on the byelaw please visit The London Borough of Hounslow's website.
Drones & Kites
The wide-open spaces of the park are perfect for flying kites but keep an eye out for the safety of other park users. Drones are not permitted in the park.
Lost Property
If you find any lost property/ have lost your personal items in the park please report to Gunnersbury Park Museum's Front Desk / call 020 3961 0280
Fitness Instructors
Gunnersbury Estate (2026) CIC have issued licences to fitness providers who operate in the park, a full list you can find below. We take no responsibility or assume any liability for the actions of fitness instructors who use Gunnersbury Park without the CIC's official permission.
- Licensed Fitness Providers
- Greenwich Leisure Limited
- Brentford FC Community Sports Trust
General Park Photography
Personal photography in the park is available free of charge.
You must not impact the museum or park operations. If you do, you may be asked to move on. Handheld equipment to be used only. No spaces will be reserved for you and your use is at your own risk. No confetti, balloons or glitter is permitted.
Wedding Photography at Gunnersbury Park
Please note that wedding photography is not allowed at Gunnersbury Park unless a you have booked your ceremony/ reception here.
Gunnersbury Estate (2026) CIC allows pre-wedding and engagement photography to take place at Gunnersbury Park free of charge, and with no objections, provided the following rules and regulations are strictly adhered to:
- Pre-wedding and engagement photography must not include any wedding attire whatsoever.
- The party (including the photographer, crew, and those being photographed) must not exceed 5 people.
- Only minimal handheld equipment is allowed (handheld camera, tripod, handheld lights). No drones, generators, HMI or other large lights, dolly and track, jibs, cranes, etc. are allowed.
- Photography is only allowed in the park and is not allowed inside the museum. Photography outside and around the Museum, Orangery or Temple is not allowed whilst there is a venue hire taking place.
- The photos taken are used for personal use only, and not for any commercial use (including use in magazines and paid social media).
Feeding the ducks
Feeding the ducks is a fun past time for young and old alike.
We ask our visitors to refrain from feeding them bread but instead more nutritional foods: sweetcorn, lettuce, defrosted peas, oats, seeds and rice are much better for our wildlife. Alternatively, Duck Food is available at our Museum Gift Shop.
Park Management
Who is responsible for maintaining and operating Gunnersbury Park & Museum?
The Gunnersbury Museum and Park Development Trust is a charity responsible for managing the park, gardens, museum, and educational services. Its role is also to support the preservation of the museum collections and historic buildings; fundraising and building partnerships to support this work.
Gunnersbury Estate (2026) CIC is a Community Interest Company and a trading subsidiary of the Trust.
You can read more about our team here.
How much does it cost to run Gunnersbury Park & Museum?
In 2024 Gunnersbury Park Estate spent £2.3 million running the park and museum though we have aspirations of investing more in the park.
The major outstanding works will require capital funding in the order of £30-35 million.
How does Gunnersbury Park pay for these costs?
Our income streams include:
- Ealing and Hounslow Councils contribution of £600,000 annually.
- Grants from organisations like the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
- Revenue from ticketed concerts held in the park.
- Donations and sponsorships from individuals and businesses.
- Income from facility rentals for private events and activities.
- Fees from parking and other on-site services.
Why are gates not closed daily?
We have looked into the cost of daily opening and closing of the gates at night. Recent quotes have costed this service in the region of £30,000 per annum, subject to annual increases. This figure does not include costs for essential repairs and maintenance to our gates which would need to be completed before we could consider daily opening and closing. For example, the vehicle gate at the entrance leading to the museum needs repair works of over £75,000 before it can be safely operated. The cost of repairing and maintaining Grade II* listed infrastructure is high because it requires specialist contractors to undertake the work. We have a number of entrances and exits into and out of the park that we inherited in various states of disrepair, and to open and close them all on a daily basis would incur additional damage and hence more cost.
We do not currently have the funds to progress with this project at this time, since we have a number of higher priority repairs and maintenance issues which we need to deal with. To keep our visitors and neighbours safe we employ Park Guard, who patrol the area in the evenings. They provide a reassuring uniformed presence in the park who can offer assistance if needed, in addition to our own team who are on-site during the day.
Is there a café in Gunnersbury Park & Museum?
After the fire in 2020, we had to rebuild the café building that many park users remember. As a result of insurance, the new building is currently without full café fittings. We are looking for new ways to use the building in the short term, whilst we work with the community to determine its best use long-term. Currently in the park there are still stands where coffee can be purchased and places to sit inside.
Why does Gunnersbury Park work with Historic England?
We work closely with Historic England to manage and protect our listed buildings. As a Grade II* registered park Gunnersbury is in the top 30% nationally of registered parks and gardens. With 22 Listed Buildings and structures at Grade II or Grade II* listed status, we are in the top 10% nationally of sites of listed buildings – nine of our structures remain on the national ‘At Risk’ register.
How can I get involved with Gunnersbury Park & Museum?
You can find out more about how to get involved with Gunnersbury Park & Museum here.
Environmental Stewardship
What measures have your team taken to ensure the park stays welcoming to wildlife?
We are working with independent experts, such as Greengage and Oakshire Environmental, to review ecological best practice and carry out ongoing soil testing. With the advice of these experts Gunnersbury Park is aiming to balance sustainable event practices, regular community use, and our conservation goals. You can read the results of the most recent consultations here and here.
How do you care for and strengthen the habitat of its native plants and wildlife?
We want to ensure the park’s rich biodiversity for the future by developing a management plan to protect and enhance the different habitats onsite woodlands, grasslands, and wetlands. By caring for the variety of native plants within the park, we will support essential resources for the insects, birds, and mammals that call Gunnersbury Park home, as well as connecting people with nature.
What kind of wildlife lives in Gunnersbury Park, and is their habitat being protected?
The park is home to several bird species such as thrushes, finches, and sparrows. It is also a habitat for hedgehogs and bats, which are protected under UK and EU wildlife conservation laws. We will protect these habitats by maintaining natural areas with native trees and shrubs through management to be developed in line with best practice, and already minimise the use of pesticides so as not to disrupt the ecological balance.
What do you do so that wildlife can coexist with the daily use of the park by visitors?
The animals that live in Gunnersbury Park are urban-dwelling species who are more accustomed to living near human activity than their more rurally located relatives. Gunnersbury Park still carefully considers the needs of the birds, bats, and small mammals that live in the park by restricting noise and light pollution during concert events to short periods, primarily during the day, to reduce the impact on species like bats and hedgehogs. We are also committed to enhancing and creating habitats in the park for wildlife present and already have in place protective measures, like designated pathways, to conserve native trees and flowers.
Are there any rare species that can be spotted in Gunnersbury Park?
Gunnersbury Park is home to several rare and protected species. Within the park you can find bats such as the common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle, which are protected under UK and EU law. Hedgehogs, which are considered a species of conservation concern, can be spotted in the park along with the endangered stag beetle.
Music Concerts
How much space in the park is used for hosting concerts?
Approximately ten percent of our 186 acres is used as the main event space for concerts.
How many days out of the year does Gunnersbury Park use for concerts?
In 2024, Gunnersbury Park is hosting 10 live music events. There are 53 days allocated for build and breakdown this year.
How do you determine how many concerts will be hosted at Gunnersbury Park?
Our Large and Special events are held under the licence granted by the council. That licence states that Large Concerts are only permitted on a maximum of 14 days per calendar year and Special Events are restricted to a maximum of four events each calendar year, subject to a maximum of 14 days. When considering proposals for concerts, we always prioritise those which can provide clear benefits for park users alongside income generation.
How much income is generated from concerts? How is it used?
The total revenue generated from concerts in 2023 is subject to audit, but provisional gross income is £730,000.
One hundred percent of the income generated from concerts is reinvested into the park and museum. This includes funding for maintenance and conservation of heritage buildings, community & educational programmes, and growing & nurturing the park’s natural habitats.
What is being done to make sure that the concerts don't harm the plants and animals living here?
The concert area in Gunnersbury Park has been carefully chosen to avoid sensitive habitats. The concerts are scheduled in such a way to minimise disturbance to wildlife. Events occur during only 5% of the period April – September - the main bird nesting season and bat activity period - and mainly during the day to reduce the effects on nocturnal species. Temporary fencing is used to protect areas with delicate plant life, and designated pathways are established to avoid soil compaction and damage to root systems. You can read more in our latest report here.
What steps does Gunnersbury Park take to restore the grounds after a concert?
After each event, Gunnersbury Park undertakes a thorough restoration process, this includes soil aeration, reseeding grass areas, repairing any damage to pathways, and ensuring that all litter and temporary structures are removed promptly. Event organisers clean up after the event and any damage caused is charged back to them.
What measures has Gunnersbury Park & Museum taken to mitigate noise during concerts?
Gunnersbury has engaged Vanguardia noise management specialists to work alongside event organisers and their sound experts to provide an extra layer of monitoring and response.
We strategically position the concert stages and PA systems so that noise is minimised to nearby residents, with the setup designed to reduce sound levels for those closest to the park. The advanced PA systems focus sound within the audience area, and by using techniques like delay stacks we are able to limit noise spillover beyond the park's boundaries.
Whilst there are things out of our control, such as wind speed and direction that can affect how sound travels, we have taken every measure to ensure that sound does not exceed 75dB, in line with our premises licence.