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£200 fine for firing up your barbie on the heath
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard21.08.08
A crackdown has been launched on people enjoying barbecues on Hampstead Heath.
The City of London Corporation has warned that anyone caught using portable barbecues on the 791-acre open space could be taken to court and fined £200.
The authority says the move is necessary because areas of grass are being burned. It adds that people are failing to clean up litter and fears that in dry weather barbecues could pose a fire hazard when not properly extinguished.
More than 20 signs have gone up in prominent positions on entry points to the heath, warning visitors of the ban. Rangers and constabulary are stepping up patrols, particularly around the popular parts of the green space.
Although barbecues are already banned, heath users have been ignoring the regulation, with several hundred still taking place during sunny summer weekends.
Some locals say the practice is harmless and complain their enjoyment of the heath is being ruined by health and safety officers.
Ian Walker, 27, from Camden Town, said: "I think a £200 fine is extremely harsh. I like barbecues and I think what they've done here is over the top and insults people's intelligence and civic pride.
"They are basically saying to people of all ages and creeds, 'We don't trust you.' What they should do instead is have onthe-spot fines for littering. Barbecues don't really damage the grass and they're not a fire risk in a rainy country like this."
However, Bob Hall, chairman of Hampstead heath management committee, said: "Visitors need to be aware of the potentially serious damage a barbecue can cause.
"On hot days, certain areas can resemble a chessboard, chequered with scorch marks. They also create a terrible litter problem as many people leave them lying around rather than binning them.
"We hope people will understand why we are taking a hard line on this and will work with us to help preserve the integrity of the heath for everyone to enjoy."
In May last year Camden council banned all residents from holding barbecues until they had taken a safety course, but later backed down. They are still banned on most parks across London, including Clapham Common and the royal parks.
