Reprieve for Lavender Hill Police Station Front Counter
Last public-facing facility in the borough to remain open
Lavender Hill Police Station. Picture: Google Streetview
October 17, 2025
The front counter at Lavender Hill Police Station in has been granted a reprieve following a city-wide revision of Metropolitan Police plans to reduce public-facing services. Originally slated for closure as part of cost-saving measures, the counter will now remain open under revised operating hours.
The decision comes after widespread concern from local councillors, community groups, and residents, who warned that closing the counter would leave the borough without any walk-in police access. Lavender Hill had been the last remaining front desk in Wandsworth following earlier closures at Putney, Battersea, and Tooting stations.
Under the Metropolitan Police’s updated strategy, 27 front counters across London will remain open—seven more than initially proposed. Only two, at Charing Cross and Lewisham, will operate 24 hours a day. The remaining counters, including Lavender Hill, will be open from 10am to 10pm on weekdays and 9am to 7pm on weekends.
The original plan aimed to reduce the number of counters from 37 to 19 by the end of 2025, citing a £260 million budget shortfall. However, feedback from Londoners highlighted the importance of maintaining local access, even if it meant reduced hours. The Met acknowledged that residents valued having a front counter in their area more than round-the-clock availability.
Lavender Hill’s counter, located near Clapham Junction, has operated with limited functionality in recent years, with visitors separated from officers by reinforced glass and secure doors. Despite these constraints, its continued presence is seen as a crucial link between the public and local policing.
Wandsworth Council had previously expressed alarm at the proposed closure, with Council Leader Simon Hogg stating that “a visible police presence really matters, and every community deserves to feel safe and supported”. Campaigns from local political groups also called for the counter to remain open, citing its role in supporting victims of crime and maintaining public trust.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said, “The Met is having to shrink to live within its means and as the public would expect, we are targeting our resources on a narrower set of their priorities to make London safer.
“Londoners tell us they want more visible and responsive policing on the capital's streets and that is exactly what we are going to deliver.
“But we have also listened to their views during an extensive engagement process and, while our funding gap means we must reduce provision, we will keep more front counters open across London.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, added, “The news that more police front counters will remain open - with extended opening hours - for members of the public is welcome.
“Whilst this is an operational policing decision, this action would not have been possible without record-breaking funding from City Hall. We will continue to support the Met to deliver what Londoners want - boosting visible neighbourhood policing on our streets and making local officers more accessible in our communities.”
Local London Assembly Member Leonie Cooper said, “I’m pleased that the Metropolitan Police has listened and reconsidered its plans to close the police front counter at Lavender Hill.
“Thank you to everyone who contacted me or has campaigned on this issue.
“I will be looking closely at what impact the new hours may have across Wandsworth, but keeping the front counter open will go a long way to make sure that police services remain accessible for everyone.”
Reform Assembly Member Alex Wilson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), “Sir Mark Rowley’s comments today that victims of domestic violence should turn to their local authority if their police front counter is closed were nothing short of an insult – an insult to all Londoners who face the real prospect of being made victims of crime.
“The plans to close ten police station front counters and slash the hours of operation of others are dangerous. The disconnect between the police and the public has never felt wider in many parts of London, and these plans will only to worsen that situation.”
Susan Hall, who leads the Conservative group on the London Assembly, suggested front counters should have been prioritised higher in the Mayor’s budget.
“The Mayor has been in charge for nine years – he spends money frivolously on everything else,” she told the committee. “People just don’t report crime anymore – and it will be even more difficult because of the closed front counters.”
The reprieve for Lavender Hill reflects a broader shift in policing strategy, balancing financial pressures with community needs. While concerns remain about the long-term sustainability of public access, the decision to keep the counter open has been welcomed as a step toward preserving neighbourhood policing in Wandsworth.
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