Extortionate plot rents............

[Snadger]

Not sure this is where to put this but here goes!

In our area I understand that allotmenteers are being asked to fork out 250% of there previous rents this year across the watter in Gateshead.
Luckily we have missed the cuts (Newcastle area) and are only being charged 3% more than last year to cover inflation.
To put this into perspective, if you payed £40 last year you would be asked to pay £100 this year. This is the governments way of bringing down allotment waiting lists because no one will want them!
Disturbingly, as secretary of our allotment site, I've just received correspondence to say that our plot rents will rise to at least 150% next year and the Allotment Officers pay will now come out of the general budget.

Is this a general trend across the Country?

If so, the allotment movement will soon become so full of 'yuppies' the only ones who can afford the plots, that they'll employ the likes of us peasants to cultivate them for them.

This goes against the whole ethos of allotment gardens which were supposedly set up to so that the plotholder could feed his family cheaply.

[WendyC]

Ours have stayed the same but who knows what next year will bring. That's a heck of an increase.

[Bigmallly]

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...-do_69724.html

[binley100]

Does that include the council providing any services or is it purely land rent ?

[Bigmallly]

Don't be silly Bins......................seriously, I believe it is just the increase in rents.

[binley100]

Just wondered why land rent had gone up so much when they're not actually providing a service ......If you rented a house off the council would that go up as much????

[Bigmallly]

Just wondered why land rent had gone up so much when they're not actually providing a service ......If you rented a house off the council would that go up as much????

i don't know Bnns as I rent privately.......Are the council not going to impose some kind of bedroom tax?...........Sorry, tangentating here.............

[Darwin.]

That's a hell of an increase but even at that allotments are really really cheap.

I bought a house with a big garden, the garden was the reason I bought it. Even if I live to a very ripe old age I'll have forked out over €8k a year for the pleasure of having space to grow my own.

[binley100]

Can't do that on allotments most rules state you can't sleep there.......

[binley100]

That's a hell of an increase but even at that allotments are really really cheap.

I bought a house with a big garden, the garden was the reason I bought it. Even if I live to a very ripe old age I'll have forked out over €8k a year for the pleasure of having space to grow my own.

but that also includes your house and ultimately you'll own it .....

[Darwin.]

ssssshhhhhhhhh

That kind of diminishes the point I was making

[Bigmallly]

Can't do that on allotments most rules state you can't sleep there.......

Damn, here was I thinking of renting out the kite for the summer. It'd take 2 sleeping bags comfortably............

[Snadger]

Just the land rent Binners...............but to utilise Bigmally's tangetisation quote they've also whopped up my council tax to 150% because I don't live in my house.......... (I live in a tied house/flat with my work, my bought house is for when I loose my job and my home!)..............but thats another story.
What I'm getting at is that allotments aren't supposed to be expensive to rent, surely thats the whole point of having and utilising one?

[Pies]

Just had a 5% CUT here

[binley100]

Think (but not sure) the rent on our site went up about £5 per acre , we have about 19 acres ..but we've been able not to put rents up this year. Some councils seem to be looking at lottie sites as an easy way for them to swell the coffers . Robbin' B@$%@&^$.....