Members of Seven Kings & Newbury Park Residents’ Association are celebrating following their 18-month fight to re-open the closed toilets in a park.

Through continuous lobbying to Redbridge Council, the group managed to secure funding for the reopening of Seven Kings Park toilets on a seasonal basis through contributions from both area five and seven committees, as well as Vision, which manages leisure services in the borough.

Mark Kennedy, membership secretary and press & publicity officer of the residents’ association, said: “It is a great victory to persuade the council to in effect perform a U-turn on policy.

“Many residents that signed our 1,500 petition last year said that we would never win, but we battled on regardless and our hard work has paid off.

“We are pleased that the council has listened to the community and this proves that people power collectively under a residents association banner does work.”

The park is off Aldborough Road South.

If you live in the Seven Kings or Newbury Park area and would like to join the residents’ association, call Mark on 020 8598 8435.