Such a shame you are too unwell to maintain an allotment. Clearly sad it is now something of a chip on your shoulder as you seem to resent older people continuing with their allotment plots.We have had one in the family for over 50 years and even in the 1970s all used hose pipes as the water tanks all leaked.When they were replaced taps were fitted and the water pressure improved marginally. It took nearly 20 years of requests to the then Metropolitan water board to get the leaking pipes and pressure sorted.I suspect if they could have screwed money out of everyone like they do nowthey would have been a little more proactive on waste caused by their own infrastructure - which was funded by taxpayers then. The plot holders were a majority of elderly pensioners and they used hoses (as now) to fill their tanks.Water is never treated by the vast majority as an infinite means. It is carefully managed by most and in may ingenious ways.But making it almost impossible for those who are in the later part of life and less resilient than others is obscene in this day and age.Utter poppycock to claim that allotments are for growing vegetables only. They are not and was only a prerequisite during a war that happened some 70 years ago. In fact allotments are called recreational gardens officially.You can grow what you like (as long as it's legal flowers, fruit or even grass.I don't know of any authority who specify vegetables only.In any case, so what?Nor is it true that taxpayers subsidise plot holders on water use. They do not. That is the same sort of dreamed up nonsense that politicians and their vested wards to use for muddying facts. The same untruth as non CPZ permit residents subsidising permit holders.It is included in the annual rent and Ealing's is considerably higher per plot than almost every other borough.My son in law holds a Hounslow plot and it is very poorly serviced, as a consequence he uses hosepipes to fill tanks but the plot is very poor producer compared to my uncle's Ealing plot.Other boroughs also provide free scrapes for new /derelict plots, A tilling service for elderly and disabled, help building raised plots for the less able and proper water services per 8 plots. And for 40% less rent.One can dig, one can weed and one can maintain, but this gets harder with age.40 or 50 runs to a slow filling water supply to water and top up a tank over uneven ground when your getting on a bit is tough and extremely time consuming. Or is that for Pseuds too?Flowers, fruit,
Oliver Gregan ● 5633d