Beyond the pale: Fencing off parks for festivals

Abstract

Pale is the Old English word for fence, and the phrase ‘to go beyond the pale’ means to stray beyond the limits of acceptable action. In this critical commentary I discuss whether the installation of temporary fencing in public parks to secure ticketed festivals is now beyond the pale. Fences restrict access but they also affect how park spaces are perceived, used and managed. I use photographs taken in three different London parks to illustrate the materiality of these temporary structures, but also their aesthetic impact, symbolic significance and lasting legacies. I argue that temporary fences have enduring effects on parks and public spaces by discouraging everyday use, by preparing the ground for future incursions, and by normalising and festivalising barriers that restrict access. My commentary highlights the often overlooked importance of fences and illustrates the splintered and sequestered nature of contemporary cities – where citizens are increasingly fenced off.