The plot next door seems to be turning into a creche....?!

[Alice]

You have my sympathy Sarzwix, but the reality is
You rent your lottie and do as you wish with it
Other people rent theirs and do as they wish
If people contravene the terms of their rental that's for the powers that be to deal with
Does the rental say NO KIDS NO RADIOS
I think you just have to hope they get fed up before you do.
Hope it all works out for you.
In the meantime - take the pills.

[Earthbabe]

Hmm interesting dilemma. Some very valid points made. We take our daughter to the lottie but ususally only when both of us go so that if needed one of us can spend time with her. She is often happy to play in the car - the car park is right beside our plot. She is well behaved, only wanders around where we can see her and is prone to picking dandelion heads from the paths. She understands which bit she can dig on and enjoys helping with the harvesting. There are sometimes other children on the site but we wouldn't know they were there if we hadn't seen them as they are at the other end.

I would be peeved too if I were in the same situation. I would also be extrememly angry if I were the mother of one of those toddlers and was paying someone to care for and provide a caring, stimulating, safe environment for my child. Especially as increasingly they are encouraged to go down the early years education route - where is the structure, guidance etc. I know some good ones but I'm glad I don't use one.

[yoanbob]

dont have that problem but i feel for you.

[Sebbster]

I think we may see more and more of this as less land becomes available and new houses get the smallest gardens and flats of course none., With the exceptionally low prices of allotments people may start to get them for gardens rather than the serious business of growing veg.

This to me is a council issue and allotments should not be allowed as ornamental gardens only, they must be cultivated and looked after.

Of course people can take their kids and the noise levels are common sense but unfortunately there are people that have little regard for others.

The plot next to mine is up for rent at the moment, I hope I dont get a similar problem. I might even take it myself...

[SarzWix]

This is a small village I live in, everyone knows everyone, and any kind of fall-out is known by every mum in the playground before the end of the day. I have known the childminder for years, (and would previously have trusted her judgement with kids without question) so don't want to get all 'official' as I'm sure it would back-fire in my direction in the end. I'm fairly sure that this is going to be a short-lived thing, and I'm just going to have to smile through gritted teeth and get on with it. As the weather gets hotter, the time they can spend there will get shorter as there is very little shade available, and no running water.
I've had a chat with Betty (Association secretary) this morning, and let her know that if the next door plot 'becomes available' we'd be interested in taking it on, so we'll just have to see how it goes.
Apparently the 'waffling boy' is driving a lot of other people crazy too - his family have a plot further up and he talks them all to sleep up there too... Fortunately, he has been accepted into agricultural college somewhere, so only a couple of months before he goes off there. (I pity the livestock tho, lots of em be missing hind legs before long )

Thanks for your responses everyone, you made me feel better even if nothing's resolved

[nick the grief]

I Agree with Peter. If she's registered then there are a sh*t load of forms she will have to fill in. Point out to the committee that they could be liable for any claim as by allowing it they are complicit (I don't know if they are but hey, you've got to fight dirty) Also there has to be a certain number of helpers: brats (it used to be about 1 to every 6kids when I helped out as a cub leader)

you need t invoke the Ways and means act

[jaykay]

Just thought - your allotments could be inspected by Ofsted!!!!! (Only joking).

[Snadger]

I Agree with Peter. If she's registered then there are a sh*t load of forms she will have to fill in. Point out to the committee that they could be liable for any claim as by allowing it they are complicit (I don't know if they are but hey, you've got to fight dirty) Also there has to be a certain number of helpers: brats (it used to be about 1 to every 6kids when I helped out as a cub leader)

you need t invoke the Ways and means act

Nick and Peter are both turning into reet miserable gits in their owld age!

[TPeers]

allotments should not be allowed as ornamental gardens only, they must be cultivated and looked after.

Sorry to jump on the band waggon here but....

If, as you have noticed, the average size of garden in suburban settings is getting smaller, to the point at which those who wish to garden do not have enough space why should it matter if they grow flowers or veg as long as they mind their manners, keep the plot generally weed free and pay their rent on time.

In Germany to grow veg at your allotment is looked on as unusual, they are mainly taken as garden areas, with flower borders and lawn and a shed/chalet where the owners come with families at the weekend to have barbeques and gererally chill.

In the UK, in the past, it was vital that we grew enough veg to be self sufficient. Nowadays that attitude, no matter how laudable, is a luxury.

Don't take me wrong here, I do grow my own veg, I even keep my own hens but I also have a pond and flowers and a lawn and all of it is gardening! When I had no garden I grew flowers on my plot as well as veg, Gladiolli, chrysanths and other cutting varieties. No-one said I shouldn't and many said well done.

Why do you think that growing some flowers is somehow not cultivating the soil? Or somehow failing to 'look after' things?

...... on reading this through before posting it comes across as angry - I'm not, I'm puzzled, and I would tuly like to hear your reasoning Sebbster.

Terry

[October]

You have my sympathies! My daughter who shares the plot with me sometimes brings her toddlers, but she knows they can't do anything for long and we have a load of stuff in the shed to entertain them - plus we always bring food. [Children make less noise when their mouths are full!]

Did you say there is no running water on the site? How do you water the plants??

[SarzWix]

Did you say there is no running water on the site? How do you water the plants??

Water butts to collect rainwater. And I save empty plastic bottles at home, fill them with tap water and drag them down to the plot in an old shopping trolley (the old lady type, not supermarket!) and use that for drinking water.

[chrissie the chippy]

We don't have a garden, the lottie is my daughters special garden

We are sectioning off a bit of lawn for her and a place she can plant flowers And veg of course

We had a bbq at the weekend too there, was very nice

[Peter]

Nick and Peter are both turning into reet miserable gits in their owld age!

Nah Snadger lad, I think you'll find the word is not miserable, it is cunning or devious.

[Sebbster]

cunning works for me

devious, well even better...

[October]

Water butts to collect rainwater. And I save empty plastic bottles at home, fill them with tap water and drag them down to the plot in an old shopping trolley (the old lady type, not supermarket!) and use that for drinking water.

Wow. That's really dedication!

I have a tap on my plot - the only difficulty is I share it with my neighbours each side who often choose the same time to water! They are so nice though - I don't mind waiting! I can't imagine having to manage with water butts! I have those in my yards at home, but I can easily empty one just doing the pots a couple of times. Very dry here on South coast - had a bit of rain today, but hardly the torrents they promised!