Barbecues, Bonfires and Fireworks

It's always good to get together with friends and celebrate summer, Guy Fawkes Night or toast some marshmallows. 

If you're doing any of these, please remember, we have safety practises in place. 

If you’re having a barbecue:

• Never use a barbecue indoors or on a balcony
• Never leave the barbecue alone
• Make sure your barbecue is away at least 3 meters (about 9-10 feet) from any buildings, sheds, or fences and on a non-flammable surface, like a flat concrete base
• Keep children away from the barbecue
• Keep a bucket of water or sand nearby in case the fire gets out of control
• Please don’t store gas cylinders or charcoal indoors. The risk is just too great
• Think about your neighbours and make sure the barbecue isn’t going to cause a problem for them. Even better, maybe ask them to join you!
• Make sure the barbecue has cooled before clearing away. This could take a few hours
• Please leave communal areas clean and tidy.

If you have any questions about our barbecue policy or you’d like to have a barbecue in a communal garden, please contact your Housing Officer who will be able to give you some advice.

Of course, we want everyone to have fun, there may be times where we just can't allow barbecues in some places. This could be because the communal garden is too small or complaints of antisocial behaviour and/or unsafe behaviour have been made.

It's not illegal to have a bonfire, however we do advise our residents to use other ways of disposing of garden and domestic waste, such as composting and recycling. If you do decide to have a bonfire, please ensure the following:

• Bonfires are not permitted in communal areas and communal gardens
• Limit the smoke by burning only dry material
• Never burn household rubbish or rubber tyres, or use oil to light the fire
• Never light a fire in unsuitable weather conditions - smoke hangs in the air on damp still days and in the evening
• Never burn when the wind will carry the smoke over the roads or other people's property
• Avoid burning at weekends and on Bank Holidays when people want to enjoy their gardens
• Never leave a fire unattended or leave it to smoulder - douse it with water if necessary.

Fireworks are not permitted in communal areas and gardens, or on balconies.