Further to a recent consultation on the renewal Public Spaces Protection Orders for BBQs and open fires, a number of sealed orders will come into force with effect from 1st July 2022 for a period of 3 years.
The orders will prohibit BBQs and outdoor cooking on a number of the Borough’s open spaces; a full list of which can be found below. A list of FAQs can be found here.
At a meeting of the Operational Management Committee on 5th March 2022 councillors agreed to extend a PSPO to prohibit BBQs and outdoor cooking following public consultation that was undertaken. The PSPO’s had previously been introduced in response to receiving a number of complaints about damage caused to park furniture and grassed areas as a result of barbeques and outdoor cooking, with the Fire Brigade having to attend a large fire on Lytham Green in summer 2018 which was caused by a disposable BBQ.
Damage had also been caused in and around Fairhaven Lake, and the Fylde Sand Dunes Local Nature Reserve/ Site of Special Scientific Interest. The complaints also included nuisance, noise, disturbance and safety risks associated with such activities, as well as an increase in the amount of litter that is left behind.
The Council hopes that by prohibiting BBQs this will help to further protect the Borough’s designated nature reserves, ecological sites and the associated wildlife.
Failure to comply with the orders will result in a Fixed Penalty Notice of £50 or you could be prosecuted in the magistrates’ court for a criminal offence and be fined up to £1,000. A security contractor will be on patrol within these areas to ensure compliance.