asking the right questions

[gertie50]

I emailed the town clerk last week regarding allotment sites in the local area, as I would like to take on a plot. He replied asking me to call him at the office regarding information on allotments. Are there any particular questions I should be asking him?

I'll be calling him later on this afternoon , so any advice would be appreciated.
Many thanks, Gertie.

[gertie50]

[pigeonseed]

In my experience, you just say you're interested and they send you a map of local sites, or tell you their locations on the phone.

Then you can ask to go on the waiting list for one or more of those sites. Once a plot becomes available you can have a look and see if you like it.

Questions you could ask:
facilities: How much is it per rod per year, and how big are most of the plots? is water provided? Are there any communcal deliveries of manure? Is there a toilet? A shop? Is it secure? How large is the site? Are there any special restrictions? If you have any other requirements like wheelchair access, let them know.

It should be straightforward. Good luck, I hope you get one!

[digger46]

Gertie 50  

      Only     thing,s    to ask  are  how  long is  the  waiting  List
       And     how  much   per  year    just  2   main  thing,s
                                             
                                       from  Digger 46    Good  luck.

[gertie50]

Thank you for your help earlier, regarding what questions to ask.

I've phoned the town clerk and asked the usual questions, however, the allotment site, even though it has
padlocks on the main gate and is fenced all round, has many brake ins.  :(

Do any of you suffer at the hands of idiots who think it's ok to vandalise other peoples property?
It must be soul destroying. I think I might just keep to my two raised beds.

Gertie.

[Tee Gee]

Do any of you suffer at the hands of idiots who think it's ok to vandalise other peoples property?
It must be soul destroying. I think I might just keep to my two raised beds.

In the 20+ years on my plot I have only been 'got at' once and I think I know who it was. He has since moved on so no problems since!

If I were in your position I would 'go for it' on the basis nothing ventured nothing gained.

Some people have a way of exagerating a sitution and in particular; "Bureacracy" they will cover their backs choose how minimal a risk is so that they can say " We told you so" or " We warned you" or spme such safeguard!

If it doesn't work out you can give up!

Afterall you don't (normally) sign a contract stating thay you will be staying for the next  " X " number of years.

Then if you find that it wasn't as bad as stated then you are on to a winner!

Go for it!! is my advice!

[saddad]

Break-ins tend to go in spates... roll a few sheds... leave it six-eight weeks then come back for the replacements. Don't leave anything valuable on site and it's not a great problem..  :-\

[Borlotti]

I nicked Manuel's carrots, but had permission from his wife, still felt guilty as it was NOT MY PLOT.  Not much nicking on our site, if people have extra they tell you to pick, but most people wait until the plot holder is there and then we give, swop.  As I said before we are not allowed sheds, so not many break-ins, the worst thieves are the pigeons and other wild life.

[Tee Gee]

As I said before we are not allowed sheds, so not many break-ins,

Thats interesting!

The only break ins I know of happened to a spanking new shed with double padlocks!

My tatty old potting shed was ignored..........I guess the perpatrator thought I had nothing to hide but the double padlocks suggested otherwise!

So if you don't have a shed and don't advertise that you have something worth 'nicking' you will be left alone!

Just remember " padlocks" are for keeping "honest" people out!  ::)

[TividaleJo]

We tend to have a spate of vandelism March/April time they never take anything just make a mess and throw a few things about this happens for a few weeks then thats it until next year, they have done it for the past 2 years but we are discussing "preventative" measures in case they decide to come back next year. Our site doesnt allow sheds but most of us have boxes for stuff and we dont padlock them because thats when people seem to think you have something worth taking! (im sure a holey fleece cor do that well on the black market) Its more of an annoyence than anything else. Some people just need to make others unhappy to be happy

[kippers garden]

We have break in's where we are quite regularly.  We have a 7ft locked fence around the outside of the allotment.

I've had my plot for 5 1/2 years and my shed has been broken into 3 times.  I had kids using my shed every night as a meeting place (crisp packets, tins of coke left) so i put a lock on the shed which stopped it but them a couple months later someone broke in, obviously thinking there was something inside to pinch (though there wasn't) and this damaged my shed.

Time after time people get veg and fruit pinched from their plots.  The committee thinks it's someone who has a key to the allotment but they haven't been able to catch them. 

My neighbour put a new shed up when i first started and it was 'rolled' down 3 plots overnight...she lost heart and gave up a year later.

I keep going and so do all my neighbours.  Sometimes it gets me down, but after a day of sulking i carry on.  The benefits of having an allotment still outweigh the disadvantages.  I love it!

[Robert_Brenchley]

We get occasional break-ins, but since we had a new committee a few years ago and started keeping the gate locked, nothing serious. Before that, we used to get prostitutes bringing clients onto the site, and occasionally someone would go round with a lorry and break into half a dozen sheds.

A couple of times we've had major problems with people on the site, nicking, slandering and in one case vandalising, but that was sorted long since. The best defence seems to be a stout thorn hedge and a strong gate, and they usually go for the plots they can get into easily.

[pigeonseed]

Kipper that's awful! I do feel for you. I'm glad you still enjoy it.

[Digeroo]

I think I would go round on a Saturday morning and have a chat to some plot holders.