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Lighten up and allow families to have barbecues in park
• SADLY, it now appears that the Corporation of London, not just Camden Council and the Royal Parks, has got it in for barbecues with its latest edict against family barbecues on Hampstead Heath.
This is beginning to look like a particularly mean-spirited, illiberal policy, which has spread from Camden Town Hall. Those who run our parks should take a step back and look elsewhere. Can you imagine French, US or Australian authorities banning barbecues outright like our local bodies have done?
Instead, authorities there allow barbecues in most public parks. They often allow people to have barbecues in special areas or pits rather than outlawing outdoor cooking. This is because they recognise that not everyone has the luxury of a private garden.
I’d imagine some of them would also raise an eyebrow at the council’s continued restrictions on barbecues at community festivals. Rather than banning traditional family and community activities like these, shouldn’t those who run our parks be interested in making them more people-friendly?
In doing so they might consider installing some proper recycling facilities for visitors – now woefully lacking in all parks across the borough – so at least people can recycle their council-approved, plastic-wrapped, non-barbecued food in an environmentally-friendly way.
CLLR THEO BLACKWELL
Labour, Regent’s Park
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