Jubilee Gardens

Jubilee Gardens is a public park on London's South Bank in the borough of Lambeth, right beside the Thames and the London Eye. It offers a patch of green in one of the busiest stretches of the riverfront, handy for a rest between sights.

How did Jubilee Gardens come about?

Before the Second World War the site was mostly wharves and warehouses serving river traffic. The South Bank was heavily bombed, which left the area ripe for redevelopment. In 1951, during the Festival of Britain, temporary exhibition structures covered the site, with the Dome of Discovery and the Skylon rising nearby. They were demolished in 1952.

For years the ground then served as a car park. The park itself was created to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee, and she opened it on 9 June 1977. The name recalls that anniversary.

What has changed in recent decades?

In the 1990s, construction of the Jubilee Line extension partly closed the gardens for around five years. The freehold passed to the Arts Council in 1994 and the land was leased to the South Bank Centre. A steering group formed in 2003 to push for improvements.

The arrival of the London Eye in 1999 brought heavy foot traffic to the area. The park was redesigned by the studio West 8 and reopened on 31 May 2012, timed with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Sources differ slightly on some earlier dates, such as when car parking ended.

What should you know before visiting?

• Location: the park sits between the Thames embankment and the London Eye, close to Waterloo station, with Westminster across the river.
• Crowds: sensor data from summer 2025 recorded an average of around 9,400 pedestrians a day at each of the two main entrances.
• Time: a quarter of an hour covers a stroll, though it is easy to linger if you want to sit on the lawn.
• History: 2026 marks the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain, and the Jubilee Gardens Trust is publishing material about the site's past.

Frequently asked questions

Is Jubilee Gardens free to enter? Yes, it is an open public park.

What is next to the park? The London Eye is closest, and the South Bank promenade with many cultural attractions runs along the river.

When did the park get its current look? The present layout comes from the West 8 redesign, completed in May 2012.

Is it the same park as in 1977? Not entirely. The first park opened in 1977, but it was later partly closed and substantially reworked.

Who is it for? Anyone exploring central London who wants a moment of calm with a view of the busy riverfront.