Speakers Corner (Hyde Park) query?

Question

From what i can gather, the best day to be at Speakers Corner is on a Sunday. Does much happen during the week as i am going to London on a wednesday and would like to visit it...but is there likely to be anyone there to listen to?

Answer 1

despite what Silly Jilly has posted, don't go to Finsbury Park looking for a Speakers Corner ... I've lived near and used the park for 30 years and have never seen one and the only people speaking are people who have had a little bit too much to drink

Answer 2

No, sorry. They gather at Speakers' Corner on Sundays. Sometimes you might see someone around Piccadilly or Leicester Square holding forth, or a demo at Trafalgar Square.

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

sorry but the likely hood of any one being there is pretty slim as you said your self

Sunday is the day for speakers corner

but enjoy the park and the rest of London

Answer 4

Sunday is the accepted day for public speaking at this spot so basically any other time you will find nobody or a couple of loonies with placards and nothing much to say.

If you speak yourself you'll find nobody will be listening, only on Sundays do people specifically go to listen. Despite what was said there IS in fact special permission for public speaking at this section

"Public Speaking in this corner is actually a right enshrined in legislation via the 1872 Royal Parks and Gardens Regulation Act."

But of course you must remain within the law as was said. The point being if you did the same thing in other places you would likely be moved on for causing an obstruction. here it is your right to speak freely.

However even on Sunday speaking will only go on for a few hours and its not a huge attraction by any means. More interesting and sometimes a bit of fun. However it is part of Hyde Park where there is so much to do and see.

>>>"There are a number of other areas designated as Speakers' Corners in other parks in London, (eg. Finsbury Park, Clapham Common, Kennington Park and Victoria Park) as well as other countries"<<<

that looks like a lift from an uncited section of wikipedia. I am sceptical of this.

Answer 5

It's just pot luck isn't it?

Speakers' Corner is an area where public speaking is allowed, and is located in the north-east corner of Hyde Park in London, England. Speakers are allowed to speak as long as the police consider their speeches do not breach the law. Contrary to popular mythology there is no immunity from the law nor are any subjects proscribed. In practice the police tend to be quite tolerant and intervene either when they receive a complaint or when they hear bad language.

There are a number of other areas designated as Speakers' Corners in other parks in London, (eg. Finsbury Park, Clapham Common, Kennington Park and Victoria Park) as well as other countries.

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