[Discuss] Barbecues - a burning issue

[John Lawton]

Thanks Anne. There had been Police confusion over this, but I thought 
that it was now sorted out.
On the 17th June, E-Cops sent out this message:

"With the improvement in the weather then naturally the beautiful 
green spaces in Cambridge will be enjoyed more. You may have noticed 
that the City Council have started putting up signage that say "no 
littering, no fires, no camping". This includes disposable BBQs which 
sit on the ground. This is because the heat from the BBQ's burns the 
grass leaving it damaged. If you are going to have a BBQ please 
ensure that it is placed on a stand.
The summer bins have been placed on the green spaces to discourage 
littering. The offence of littering carries a ₤75 fine that can be 
issued by PCSO's and the city enforcement officers.
We hope everyone can enjoy the green spaces."

Then on the 28th they sent another:

"Firstly I would like to confirm the rules regarding BBQs on green 
spaces within the city centre. I understand there has been some 
confusion surrounding this matter, but BBQs are not permitted on any 
of the green spaces within the city, except for Lammas Land, where 
there is a designated BBQ area.
This is regardless of whether the BBQ is raised from the ground. This 
will be enforced by the City Council Enforcement Officers, who will 
report people with BBQs for summons to court."

So why is this coming up again?

John

At 11:14 13/07/2010, you wrote:
>It is appalling to inflict barbecues on the users of Jesus Green. 
>Barbecues are a tiny but destructive minority . All other users, 
>sportspeople, children, picnickers in this small space should really 
>not have to breathe in barbecue smoke. It is not a wild area but a 
>mown cultivated space and very heavily populated. Barbecue smoke is 
>harmful intrusive and I surely am not the only person finding it 
>disgusting to smell cooking of innumerable cheap battery chicken and 
>burgers. Clouds of smoke drifting over other people using the green 
>is just not on. Why do the authorities insist on perceiving Jesus 
>Greenas some amazing wilderness? It is a very cultivated and urban 
>and sports area – there should be much more encouragement I think of 
>sports actitivites for young people, a far better way of using the 
>area than contaminating other people's air and simply sitting about eating.
>
>The writer is quite right. The lack of guidance with the new signs ( 
>where the temporary ones were completely clear no barbecues ) 
>creates a grey area where there has to be a discussion after every 
>intervention, with people possibly believing that 'fires' doesn't 
>mean barbecues, or saying they think that.
>
>Fires are prohibited by the byelaws. The byelaws are passed by 
>Parliament. If the Council wants to change that to allow barbecues 
>they have to go back to parliament and change it . Meanwhile they 
>are in defiance of their own rules in not enforcing it. It is 
>actually not ' up for discussion" it's a reality . That is if you 
>consider a barbecue a fire, which the Council members clearly 
>don't.  I think Cambridge would look ridiculous arguing this to 
>change their own byelaw just to accommodate a tiny group of people 
>who up to now have done appalling damage.
>
>
>
>
>On 13/7/10 09:40, "John Lawton" <chair at soscambridge.org.uk> wrote:
>
> > Oh dear, here we go again, this is not helpful:
> >
> > 
> <http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Special-barbecue-areas-would-stop-illegal>http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Special-barbecue-areas-would-stop-illegal
> > -fires.htm
> >
> > I had thought that the management groups of Midsummer Common / Jesus
> > Green had decided that their common land in central Cambridge isn't
> > suitable for bbq's, and other areas such as Lammas land should be used.
> >
> > How long is this going to go on being re-hashed?  Can't we just say:
> > no barbecues on Jesus Green?
> >
> > John
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------
> > Save Our green Spaces
> > <http://www.soscambridge.org.uk>http://www.soscambridge.org.uk
> > ---------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > discuss mailing list
> > discuss at soscambridge.org.uk
> > 
> <http://soscambridge.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/discuss_soscambridge.org.uk>http://soscambridge.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/discuss_soscambridge.org.uk
>_______________________________________________
>discuss mailing list
>discuss at soscambridge.org.uk
>http://soscambridge.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/discuss_soscambridge.org.uk

---------------------------------------------------------
Save Our green Spaces
http://www.soscambridge.org.uk
---------------------------------------------------------