Allotment needs advertising

MY house backs onto Grosvenor Allotment site where we have had an allotment since the mid 1970’s.

In 2017 a great deal of money was spent to make the allotments attractive to would-be gardeners. However, I have kept an eye on the Uxbridge Gazette and the last few issues of Hillingdon People.

NOTHING has been mentioned/ gone into detail about how the allotments were ‘cleared’ of weeds, ploughed etc and re-marked out into plots. In fact one lady enquired about a plot in the Grosvenor site only to be told they were all taken and offered one at another site!?

There must be over 50-60 plots empty perhaps more. Who is spreading false information?

Now, all that effort in making the allotments good has gone to waste. The weeds have regrown and few if any people come to see this delightfully sited allotment. Where it is so peaceful, close to woodland and park yet has handy for access with water on tap or should I say troughs and a large shed where gardeners can keep more expensive tools and machinery in. Sadly, we have in the past had louts which come and thieve from sheds. But most sites are plagued with this type of lout.

To encourage people about taking up an allotment you must advertise the fact. Not write couple of lines hidden in a lot of script. Open it up to Ealing - we are right on the border with this borough and there could be people who would like an allotment within easy travel. Their money is just as good as ours in Hillingdon. Obviously Hillingdon residents come first but surely getting the site filled with enthusiastic gardeners paying the very reasonable yearly fee is to be considered. OR is there an ulterior motive for not advertising so that unnamed/faceless elected people can then deem it not worthy of letting and sell it off for building. A fate which I think will befall this allotment as little or nothing has been done to advertise and encourage people to take one one.

I am sure other allotments are in need of advertising but I can only speak for the one which we use.

Pat Salter

Hayes