London council forced to ban park BBQs as revellers ‘poo in the bushes’ and fight

31 comments

1. It’s probably just a small number of people who behave badly but as usual the punishment affects everyone.

2. The people doing this won’t follow the rules anyway. 

3. > after reports of fighting, littering and obscene behaviour in the bushes

   I’m sure there has been ‘obscene behaviour’ going on in the bushes for years

4. residents petition to reduce number of people using the park is a more accurate description of this tbf.

   BBQs affecting wildlife was the official reason. newspaper just sensationalising it.

   but yeah bans will literally only affect the good people anyway.

5. Honestly small groups of idiots are why we often can’t have nice things.

   Same with camper vans. The council in Chester let you park up in a riverside car park and stay there for a few quid. It’s a great thing; close to the city centre and reasonably priced with the main rule being its parking not camping – so don’t set up a campsite. Most people are respectful, keep things tidy and stay within the foot print of the van and enjoy the city – it’s all good.

   There was a couple in their 60s in a brand spanking new motorhome probably worth north of 100k parked next to me that had left its grey waste tap open. Now on a van that’s stuff from the shower and kitchen sink; it’s not toilet waste or anything and probably fine to dump on a field (loads of campsites encourage it) but depending on a few things it can be a bit stinky and – more than anything – it looks bad.

   Got chatting to them and politely mentioned that waste was just coming out their van. Their response was ‘well its gets smelly in the van if we close it’ and ‘we’ve paid for this’. They’ll be the first complaining in a few months if the council stop vans parking there because of selfish arses like them..

6. Not surprising. I walked through Waterlow Park last weekend on my way to Highgate Cemetery and saw about 10 separate groups setting up BBQs and massive sound systems at 9-10am. Around an hour later they cranked the music and I could hear it from the furthest corner of the cemetery. It’s hard to feel sympathy for the people that live in the massive houses in the area but at that point I did.

7. Meanwhile here in Australia, local councils provide public BBQs for anyone to use. Never have any issues with them here. I don’t think anyone here is shitting in the bushes.

8. Remember when public toilets were a thing? In my area they have removed most of em, for some reason the parks stink of piss now, can’t imagine why…

9. People shit in bushes because there are no public toilets. There are no public toilets because people destroy them every five minutes, usually done by the sort of people who shit in bushes and start fights at a park BBQ.

10. Not sure why BBQs effect people pooping in bushes… maybe there needs to be more toilets or more likely, more regular cleaning.

11. All because they don’t want to pay for the upkeep of a public toilet

12. When did picnics start turning into BBQs? Just bring sandwiches and clean up after yourself. Not hard. Although more public toilets would be useful, councils dont have the money for the upkeep.

13. Yeah maybe stop closing all the toilets and stop making cuts to policing, then we could all enjoy nice things like a BBQ with your friends.

14. Are those two separate activities or some kind of massive poo fight in the bushes? Not sure if I’d ban it or televise it

15. And this is why you can’t have nice things in the UK.

16. Everything getting banned all the time
    I’m starting to think it’s the only solution UK politicians can ever imagine to societal issues
    won’t fix our problems

17. Just wondering if there’s poo in the bushes due a lack of available or suitable public services?

18. I think shitting in public and fighting are already prohibited.

    But let’s put a hat on this hat so we can all go home at 3pm.

19. All parks must have public loos. I realise the problem occurs after hours when the loos are locked. But maybe it is less of an issue if they remain unlocked.

20. So instead of trying to entice a situatiion where you can fine people and stopping everyone else from having a public bbq in the process, how about installing some fucking toilets where they are obviously needed?
    This isnt fucking primary school, not everyone should be punished because of some bad eggs.

21. Is it the same people who leave footprints on the seats of public toilets?

22. Ewww. Why do people have to be so disgusting and just so gross.

23. Tbf public bathrooms are dire in London and more pubs and cafes clamping down on theirs being used. If you mates bad cooking gives you food poisoning..

24. Our council (not in London but close) made the clever cost saving decision of closing all public toilets. The public spaces and woods are gonna get pretty grim as the weather improves.

25. Poor excuse they should build more public toilets more public parks and because of few fights and poos everyone else is punished they said it would be a good idea to have picnics people will still be pooing in the bush with picnics will I be non alcoholic picnics if not they’re probably be more fights

26. Sounds to me like the problem is lack of clean public loos in the park, not the BBQs

27. Who the hell shits in a bush lol, disgusting behaviour

28. So you want to try and enforce rules on people that obviously won’t follow them, what a great use of resources.

29. A new settlement near us, on the expensive end of the scale is built around artificial lake with lots of open public spaces. Three years ago, as soon as the summer started, the “beach” was buzzing with people from less affluent areas partying all day and night. So, imagine, you are working hard and buy expensive property just to be subjected to all sorts of shenanigans by, largely, unemployed people who don’t give a s**t about you and your property. Understandably, residents took it to the local council and now the area is closed to the public and frequently visited by the police. I understand why.

30. I mean this is what happens when you close the public toilets everywhere in the UK.

31. Nothing like having toilets in parks anymore, what do councils expect people to do

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