Saunders Park

About Saunders Park

Saunders Park is a community park located towards the east of the city, 

The park is L-shaped and partly sloped, with a flatter lower area at the Lewes Road end. Over the last few years, we've improved the park with an upgraded café. The café includes public toilets with a disabled toilet facility.

Opening times

Always open.

History of Saunders Park

 Saunders Park was made in 1924, as recorded by the city’s people’s history website MyBrightonandHove. This was on the site of the Lewes Road waterworks. The Parks Department had used the site as a nursery.

How to get there

You can find a map location and travel details by selecting 'more information' below.

In the same year, Arthur and Benjamin Saunders offered an area of their land behind the pumping station to the then Brighton Corporation for about £1,000. The Brighton Corporation named the park after them. Several old flint walls from the waterworks are still visible at the park.

Things to see and do

Laz’ in the Park café and toilets

The café was rebuilt in 2020 and offers primarily locally sourced food and drink. You can enjoy refreshments inside, in the outside seating area, or take them away. Find out more about the Laz' in the Park cafe.

There are public toilets, including a disabled toilet, inside the café building. The toilets are open when the café is open and the café manages and maintains them.

Laz in the Park cafe. Grey and orange building.

Sports facilities

Children’s playground

Saunders Park has a refurbished playground mainly set among trees for shelter.

The playground includes:

  • play equipment
  • a toddler area

Basketball and football

We renovated and brightened up this area with a unique design on its playing surface by local artist Lois O’Hara. To use the courts, make a sports booking.

Paddling pool

Located by the children’s playground and surrounded by benches, the pool is open in the summer months. It's managed by Freedom Leisure on behalf of the city council.

We've improved the area around the pool, with a new fenced area and more seating.

Volunteering

Saunders Park Edible Garden project

Brighton and Hove Food Partnership are aiming to turn Saunders Park into a vibrant, edible community garden. Volunteers are always welcome. Find out more about the Saunders Park Edible Garden.

Community composting at Saunders Park

You can also use the community composting facility at Saunders Park. This facility is one of 40 city-wide which helps people without garden space to compost their green waste.

Saunders Park Eco-project

Brighton and Hove Food Partnership are working with the council to create a garden which is:

  • accessible
  • sustainable
  • a source of edible plants, fruit and vegetables

As part of the project, there are:

  • help-yourself planters growing vegetables
  • a wildlife pond
  • an orchard

Volunteering with the Saunders Park Eco-project

Volunteers are always welcome.

There are tasks to suit everyone, including:

  • weeding and clearing
  • digging new beds
  • cutting back or clearing
  • watering
  • harvesting
  • making refreshments for other volunteers

Find out more about the project on the onsite noticeboards at the front of the park.