A great day at Beckton District Park South as the Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, joined local councillors and community representatives to visit the newly opened play area and review progress on the Will Thorne Pavilion in Beckton, E6.

The visit brought together Councillors Tonii Wilson (Beckton), Blossom Young (Beckton), Miraj Patel (Green Street East) and John Whitworth (West Ham) to see how investment in the park is helping improve facilities for local residents and families.

The Will Thorne Pavilion, originally opened on 2 October 1982, remains an important landmark within the park. Named after William James Thorne CBE (1857–1946) — a pioneering trade unionist, community activist and one of the first Labour Members of Parliament — the building reflects the area’s strong social and industrial heritage. Thorne himself once worked at Beckton Gas Works and later served the community for many years on West Ham Borough Council, including a term as Mayor from 1917–1918.

Newham Council is currently leading a programme to restore part of the pavilion, bringing the building back into active use for the community. The plans include:

• Refurbishing and reopening the community hall space
• Creating flexible areas for community groups, events and local hire
• Introducing a new food and beverage offer for park visitors
• Providing publicly accessible toilets for park users

These improvements form part of the wider Beckton Parks Masterplan, shaped through feedback from residents and community stakeholders.

Works are progressing well and are currently scheduled for completion in mid–late May 2026.

At MP Building Ltd, we are proud to contribute to projects that help revitalise community spaces and support the long-term use of important local facilities.

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