Mari Deli Claims Overwhelming Support for Chiswick Mall Parklet

Residents' association says those living closest remain concerned

The Parklet on Chiswick Mall. Picture: Mari Deli

December 22, 2025

Two months after a parklet was installed on Chiswick Mall outside Mari Deli & Dining, opinion in the neighbourhood has crystallised into two sharply contrasting views: one seeing it as a welcome improvement to the riverside environment, the other as an unnecessary obstruction on an already narrow stretch of road.

The structure, which occupies two former residential parking bays near Eyot Gardens, was installed by Hammersmith & Fulham Council as part of a borough-wide trial to create small public seating areas outside cafés and restaurants. Its sudden arrival in November, without prior consultation, prompted immediate questions from residents about safety, access and the loss of parking. The council has since acknowledged that the parklet was relocated from another part of the borough at short notice, leaving no time for engagement with local stakeholders.

Mariano, owner of Mari Deli & Dining, says the community response since installation has been overwhelmingly positive. After canvassing opinion over the past week, he collected 283 signatures from residents and customers calling for the parklet to remain. He says only a handful of people declined to sign.

He argues that the benefits have been visible from the outset. According to him, westbound traffic naturally slows as it approaches the structure, just before a blind crest in the road that has long been considered hazardous. He also points to the council’s own “Better Places” initiative, which promotes parklets as a way of creating greener, more sociable public spaces.

Mariano says he has consistently proposed that 40% of the parklet be reserved for public use, particularly for older residents or those who struggle with long walks along the riverside. Chiswick Mall is prone to tidal flooding, and he notes that people often wait outside the deli for the waters to recede. Public benches, he says, would offer a welcome resting point.

However, the council has instructed the deli to remove the benches that were included in the structure, pending a licence application. No tables or chairs may be placed in the parklet until that process is complete.

The deli owner says he has been trying for 14 months to secure permission to expand outdoor seating, initially through a kerb extension similar to the one installed outside the Elder Press café. When that option appeared to fall out of favour, the council proposed a pilot parklet instead. Mariano says he has cooperated with each change of direction and now maintains the structure daily, but believes it is time for a clear decision.

“With the structure already installed at public expense, and the petition showing strong support, the community is asking for certainty,” he says.

The Hammersmith Mall Residents Association (HAMRA) says it has received concerns from those living closest to the site, particularly about safety and the narrowing of an already tight section of road.

HAMRA emphasises that it supports local cafés and pubs, including Mari Deli, and recognises the value they bring to the riverside. But it argues that visitors do not experience the daily inconvenience of large vehicles manoeuvring through the pinch point — a problem that existed before the parklet and which, residents say, has now been exacerbated.

After consulting affected households, HAMRA has decided to urge the council to discontinue the experiment and relocate the parklet to a more suitable location.

The group also highlights the lack of prior consultation, something the council has already acknowledged. Emergency access has been raised as a particular concern, and the council has confirmed it will consult the fire brigade and other services as part of the trial.