[drizabone]

The allotments are run by a local charity which had a very hands off approach, they have recently handed over day to day running to an allotment society, this should result in some well overdue improvements but they have arbitarily imposed a ban on bonfires on pain of being thrown off, they say due to complaints, the old rule was bonfires Ok but must be put out before leaving. Question is, if anybody can advice are they entitled to impose this with no consultation.

[gregmcalister]

When I got my plot back in spring 2007 the rule was no fires because of the adjacent houses and railway line. The site was pretty much derelict at the time and it just wasn't feasible to take all the rotten wood etc to the dump in the car so it just lay around. Eventually the rules were relaxed to allow fires but only if they are enclosed i.e. in an old metal dustbin or oil drum. The wood waste disappeared almost overnight and it's a much more pragmatic approach to clearing plots provided plot holders show due consideration to the local residents and don't constantly smoke them out.

However I think it's difficult to argue against a ban on fires if there are complaints being received from residents and there are probably a lot of sites out there that don't allow fires.  I think the best approach is for plot holders to put forward a case for allowing bonfires, perhaps with more restrictions, and take it from there.

[Ropster]

when I got my plot the guy said you couldnt have fires but occasionaly they had a big one we could put stuff on.

But recently I was told that you can have a fire as long as it is after dusk

the reason for the restrictions is complaints from nearby houses

[diggerjoe]

We have a sensible approach at our site - we can burn anything  but in a designated area in a custom made container behind the big container shed and office. It works and we are allowed to bring stuff in to burn as well as long as we are sensible about it.

[corynsboy]

Ah! Thorny problem.  I'm not sure what the laws are in a country that so enthusiastically embraces Guy Fawkes Night.

I imagine that lots of allotment committees will default to a total ban and hide behind the cure-all blanket statement of “Because of Health & Safety”.  Is anyone else getting sick of that explanation?  You'll have to check your rules but I think Committees can make decisions (short term that they feel are in the best interests of the site) without reference to the membership.  This is something that you should bring up at your next AGM.

We can have fires on contained steel  drums but other members usually complain if it is too smoky so people usually wait until late evening or don't bother at all.

We have one organised bonfire a year on or around November 5th to coincide with all the local displays etc.  We get rid of our entire old wood and rubbish stocks in one go.  Who's going to complain?  The bone fire is massive and goes on for hours.  We treat it like an allotment social.  There is usually beer and fireworks.  How unhealthy & unsafe is that!

We use one of the empty plots or one of the plot holders volunteers to have the fire on their plot. 

[Allotment Jon]

We are allowed Bonfires at dusk only and not during the day. I use one of the standard garden centre incinerators with chimney pot style lids. You do not get loads of smoke and it is easy to put out before leaving the site. I have also noticed that you do not get a lot of smouldering bits floating up into the air. My allotment is next to a wooden hall and so far the hall is still standing.

Perhaps some allotments could allow these only as they seem a little safer.

[Rangerkris]

I was told after 7pm but i have spoken to the Council man and he said go ahead anytime of day ekk not wanting to cause bad blood on my new plot i stuck to the after 7pm for my fires.   The council are not to bothered as long as you dont have smoke filling the streets by burning rubbish on the plot.

[Stripey_cat]

Given the number of times I end up ill with an asthma attack because neighbours are burning green waste or plastics, I'm glad the allotment site at least bans bonfires.  It's annoying for those of us who are capable of burning responsibly without creating a pall of smoke, but it's necessary to restrain the idiots who make up a good 90% of the world's population.  A badly built fire can spread smoke in a visible haze for a quarter mile or more, and be noticeable for maybe twice that, and that much pollution is dreadful.

[doubledug]

We are allowed fires as long as we attend them until they are out. Unfortunatly i just walked off the allotment in disgust after a commitee member told me i could not have permanent earth paths between my planned no dig beds. I forgot all about the fire i left burning 

[woodburner]

We are allowed fires as long as we attend them until they are out. Unfortunatly i just walked off the allotment in disgust after a commitee member told me i could not have permanent earth paths between my planned no dig beds. I forgot all about the fire i left burning 

That is *cough* nonsense. I mean really! What the *cough* hell kind of control freak said that? What kind of paths are you allowed?
My paths are earth, it's the easiest to manage. No grass to cut, no wood chips or stones to get mixed with the soil, no environmentally unfriendly mulching fabric. Easy to weed etc. I woulnd't say they are permantent though, as I have just been digging last years a bit deeper, and they have probably moved a few inches in the process!
Seriously an earth path is a lot less permananet than any other sort of path. Sounds to me like he/she is just objecting to something because it's not what they do.

Back to the original topic though, we're not supposed to have bonfires on our site, but I asked the chap in charge about it and he said not to worry just to be careful and wait for a day when the wind is blowing away from the houses.

[celjaci]

If bonfires are only of dried ot wood, prunings etc they burn hot andmake very little smoke. Unfortunately many people try and burn green stuff and throw on their weeds and rubbish, making loads of smoke and spoiling it for the rest of us.

If you are not allowed bonfires you could try asking if they would hire a decent shredder for a weekend to allow people to shred their prunings.

[Trillium]

"told me i could not have permanent earth paths between my planned no dig beds"

Never heard of such tripe in my life. Obviously there's a neat freak control on the committee who wants everything their personal way. Do your earth paths and challenge that person when they try to invalidate it.

As for the bonfires, it's possible other allotmenters are sneaking in home garbage to burn at the lotty site which could add to the heavy smoking which neighbours complain about. I think the idea of a shredder hire is a great idea and should be put forward.

[Celery]

Where I am you can have bonfires as long as the smoke is not blowing towards the houses.
           celery