The Truth About Britain’s Allotment Waiting List

This is the story of the Waiting List. There are nearly 175,000 applications on the allotment waiting list in Britain. An artist collective led by JC Niala developed an artwork that represents this waiting list, took it to the government and then used it to reclaim land from Tesco and the industrial food system.

Produced and directed by Imogen Putler and Isabelle Povey
Camera: Alice Russell and Jack Taylor Gotch
Drone: Jack Taylor Gotch
Editor: Steph Beeston
Composer: Edmund Jolliffe

[mikecartlidge]

I have been lucky enough to rent a council allotment plot for over 20 years growing both salad and winter veg, NOTHING beats the taste of fresh produce. Talking about waiting lists for allotment plots as far as our site goes it's a joke as we have gardens that resemble council waste tips which have plastic, metal and glass waste dumped on them, weeds several feet high around the rubbish. Year after year these plots never change and while yes the council is getting it's rent those with gardens close by are angered by the fact these people are not removed along with their rubbish and new people waiting on the list are given their chance to shine and use the garden for what it was given over to public rent VEGETABLES.

[darenalexander]

Directly opposite where i live theres 4 empty plots and 3 unused by the rentees and im on the list but the council wont let anybody else in to take over these plots and still a year on theres still no one on the empty plots so frustrating to look at a half empty allotment !!!!

[laurenceokelo]

Excellent message, delivered succinctly. I have learned so much in this brief video and have been convinced to make changes to my choices over food. I hope this contributes to people gettnig their allotments sooner.

[borakian]

I’m one of those on the list. I really hope this movement gets some traction.

[pamwarhurst]

Such important messages. Beautifully told and visually compelling. Incredible Edible is campaigning for a Right to Grow on all suitable our public land and allotments are a key part of this. It’s what our taxes pay for after all.

[nitelite]

15 years waiting time is a disgrace. There needs to be a change in the Allotment act so nobody waits more than 1 or 2 years.

[stevegulseren]

There are several empty plots on our site, theyve been empty for ages but the waiting list is currently over 100

[tomwalters]

What an excellent presentation revealing a very pertinent issue. Well done all surrounding this project👍

[CatAndDogTips]

Great video. Thank you for highlighting this

[karim]

took me 7 years to get half a plot, in fairness I was still under-prepared

[lindsaynicolson]

Thats a real shame that so many people are wait for allotments. I've live over 30 yrs with a disused allotment area for the last 28 yrs!!!😢 i know people have enquired about getting it up and running....but it's still not used. Shame on Cumberland council. husband and i are in the throws of creating our own at the bottom of our long, wide garden, its our retirement .

[peterandhiscat]

Great that this important issue is getting some publicity - well done!

[katec]

Good project. I'm lucky in that I currently have an allotment, but it costs £200 a year and keeps increasing every year, so it's more of a hobby now than an affordable way to grow food. It's taken me over a year to clear the rubbish and brambles on it. I put my name down on the list in 2019 when the waiting list was short, but then our allotment office closed for TWO YEARS from 2020, not allocating any plots because apparently 'it was too dangerous due to the virus.' Absolutely ridiculous. Of course they took rents and got paid during that time for doing absolutely nothing. My plot neighbours told me my plot had been abandoned for 5 years before I was offered it. I do think a lot of people take them on, get overwhelmed then abandon them but don't give them up which is another problem.

[TMGVideoDiaries]

How can you be so insulting to firms like Tesco whose emplyees give up their lives to stock food, serve us at the checkout. We would starve wihtout the nutrious food and goodness of Supermarkets. Progress isall about NOT having to get our hands dirty

[garyblanchard]

Plot next to me has been empty for best part of fours. The problem being is people are oblivious of the effort and time required to grow your own food. Knowledge to start is not required others will help just ask the next neighbouring plot.

[corynsboy]

Have you looked at self managed plots as well? For example In Thurrock Essex we only have 2 council sites but we have 16 self managed sites and most of them have closed waiting lists becasue the list is too long and the people on the self manegad sites have "Pulled up the ladder". Many of the self managed sites have derilict plots becasue of disputes with member that have no interest in working the land but will not give up their plot and the sites do not enforce the rules properly. Reach out to the many many self managed sites throughout the UK and help them resovle therie disputes and reopen the waiting lists. There are also many Allotmet steering groups throughout the UK. Concils should have contatcs for them. A steering group will be the heads of all the self managed committee's in an area.

[georgemartin]

Dora's allotment is a shining example of getting out there and doing it instead of blaming others .

[MichelleAhern-grzl]

All schools could actively be growing their own veg how about that 4 size jamie oliver u forgot.vegetarian is an eco climate change choice u are very rich now but most people live on the lower income bracket .

[mattiethemongooserd]

I have a lot to say about this, mainly about how councils approach allotments and the rights of tenants. Back later.

[computingananswer]

JC is incredibly entitled, arrogant and self centred.