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Vanessa Feltz |
Radio grilling BBQs the ‘minister for fun’
Lib Dem clashes with Vanessa Feltz over festivals ban
SHE is not known as the shy and retiring type, but Camden’s leisure chief was desperately trying to justify her party spirit on Friday morning as she was blamed for Camden’s barbecue ban.
Lib Dem councillor Flick Rea was caught on the back foot in a live radio interview with Vanessa Feltz as she defended Camden’s decision to outlaw coal-fired barbecues in public places.
The celebrity broadcaster accused her of “not being the greatest possible funster” and mocked her for using the self-chosen moniker “Camden’s minister for fun” to describe her role as the head of the leisure department.
Ms Feltz also latched onto a claim by Cllr Rea that part of the reason charcoal had been banned was that dogs could be harmed by treading on hot cinders.
Ms Feltz said: “Oh, for God’s sake. We have never had fried dog on a barbecue at a Camden festival, have we? You are saying the dog’s paws might be burnt if it might walk on hot coals?”
The Town Hall has been accused of taking the fun out of the summer season of community festivals by demanding professional caterers take the place of volunteers.
Officials are also insisting on gas alternatives to the traditional use of charcoal to cook burgers and sausages.
Cllr Rea agreed to go on Ms Feltz’s daily show on BBC Radio London, although, as the policy was never discussed by a council committee, it is unclear whether it was Cllr Rea who signed it off and which officials were involved if she wasn’t.
She said: “I called myself (Camden’s minister for fun) once. On one occasion. At one event.
“Now I’m as much in favour of fun as absolutely anybody. I hate being told I can’t do stuff but it’s not my call. It’s the call of responsible health and safety officers.
“Anybody who knows me knows I love a party. I love to have fun. I enjoy picnics. I enjoy festivals... But it isn’t a question of whether I like to cook on a coal-fired barbecue in the middle of a public park, it’s a question of health and safety regulations.”
The row erupted after the Primrose Hill Association was told it could not use a coal barbecue for its annual community festival.
Phone-in listeners later rang in and suggested dogs used oven gloves to avoid getting fur singed.
Cllr Rea said she was surprised the issue had “blown up” after it was first revealed in the New Journal last week.
She added: “It isn’t just trying to stop people having fun. It is taking a serious sense of responsibility."
'Even dogs can burn their feet'
THAT radio interview:
Vanessa Feltz: I’m joined by Councillor Flick Rea. Good morning.
Flick Rea: Good morning.
VF: Why has this happened, please?
FR: Well, we are not banning people having sausages and burgers, just simply the method of cooking them. It’s part of the organisation of our community festivals, which we grant aid... one of the conditions of the grant is that coal-fired barbecues, we don’t want them used in community festivals.
VF: Has anyone ever been injured in Camden in a coal-fired barbecue?
FR: I’m sure there must have been hundreds, fortunately not at our festivals...
VF: Is this about people falling into the barbecue and suddenly finding themselves char-grilled with third degree burns in casualty because somebody thought they were a kebab? Or is this about somebody getting dysentery because somebody managing the barbecue hasn’t washed their hands after going to the loo...
FR: I think it is a bit of both. One is the fact that, with a gas barbecue, you can turn it off. With a coal-fired barbecue, when it looks like it’s died down it still remains hot. There have been occasions, there was one in Regent’s Park where a child was injured. This is a possibility. Even dogs can burn their feet if they walk across…
VF: Oh, for God’s sake. We have never had fried dog on a barbecue at a Camden festival, have we?
FR:... It isn’t just trying to stop people having fun, it is taking a serious sense of responsibility... Food preparation is a very serious risk. Gas-fired barbecues cook more easily and better than coal-fired barbecues. I don’t want to take the risk of a child being poisoned.
VF: But we have never ever heard of an outbreak in Camden of serious salmonella or dysentery or toilets being invaded or bombarded with people stricken with Camden Belly...
FR: Um... I think we have a responsibility to look after the health and safety of people where we are grant aiding a community festival...
VF: Is it or is it not true that you call yourself Camden’s minister for fun?
FR: I called myself that once. On one occasion. At one event. Now I’m as much in favour of fun as absolutely anybody. I hate being told I can’t do stuff but it’s not my call. It’s the call of responsible health and safety officers. Anybody who knows me knows I love a party. I love to have fun. I enjoy picnics... it’s a question of health and safety regulations and the fact that food preparation needs to be properly carried out. |
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