Warning that allotment BBQs risk closure of sites

Brent Council took a sensible decision to keep allotments open as a place for exercise at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, as long as social distancing and other guidelines were kept.

The decision has led to many plots looking better than they have done for years as the result of their owners' enforced time off work.

Now that is threatened because there have been instances of 'gatherings', ignoring 2 metre social distancing, around barbeques on some sites.

A well-placed Brent Council source said that if this continues it could lead to the closure of allotments. The source emphasised that it was a minority ignoring the rules but closure would affect everyone.

Brent Council has only recently improved the management of allotments, letting vacant plots more quickly and generally taking more of an interest. If sites were to close at peak growing season plots would become overgrown with weeds  and brmables and difficult to get back under cultivation.