Forum Topic

WPCC and Rubbish

Given the scale of rubbish being generated how difficult can it be for the WPCC and/or WBC to organise some industrial sized bins for the commons? They are cheap and readily available and this issue is not going to disappear any time soon. The users also need toilets, so either the Spencer should be forced to open theirs (given the amount they contributing to the issue) or portaloos should be provided.  No one chooses to urinate in public, but are forced to. WBC could also provide more refuse removal points on Putney Embankment, where again the bins are stuffed and overflowing.

John Cameron ● 2120d25 Comments

And that's why they were taken away.https://environmentjournal.online/articles/deposit-refund-schemes-save-councils-millions-study-claims/

Philippa Bond ● 2106d

That was back in the days when it was a thriving cottage industry.

Michael Winstanley ● 2106d

Sadly it is places that charge entrance fees which are more likely and may find it easier to be able to provide these things. I know there was a pub selling beer in Hammersmith when they were allowed to sell take away beer who had put portaloos up outside rather than open their own loos.  OK if you're desperate like festival ones I guess!

Philippa Bond ● 2106d

Previously both Kew Gardens and the Royal Palaces opened their grounds to pre bookings including toilet facilities.Their buildings and other facilities are also now starting to open up.Perhaps the french automated ones should be scattered around more with a few near the common.There was a time when the UK led the world in public lavatories!

Ed Robinson ● 2107d

I still think that the bigger the bins the more waste you will get.We should always have had posters like we did in the past.  Here is a newer one:https://twitter.com/SouthHams_DC/status/1279099107697668096/photo/1

Philippa Bond ● 2107d

Hi AdamThe comparable green spaces in London would be the Royal Parks, ie Richmond Park, Bushy Park, Greenwich Park etc; no levy, funded by commercial income and central government.  The Royal Parks are a registered charity. There are 14 green spaces in and around London which are owned and managed by the City of London (ie the financial City).  These include Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, Ashstead and Coulsdon Commons and are funded by the City; no levy. Outside of London the Malvern Hills Trust is 60% funded by a local levy.  The National Trust is a charity and funded by membership, commercial activity, legacies etc. No levy. The Lee Valley Regional Park is funded by a levy on all London boroughs, Essex and Hertfordshire, it was 88p per person last year and Wandsworth contributed 1.9%, some £316,000 in total. So it’s not unique, but neither is it common.

John Cameron ● 2116d

Hi John, is the WPCC levy unique in London (or England) or is it a common way (no pun intended) of financing? thx.

Adam Tripp ● 2116d

With the popularity of the non social distancing common likely to continue during the summer, I wonder if the Spencer’s benches will actually return. Given the common’s party appeal with unlimited beer and pizza on the grass, are the benches necessary?  The Spencer pays a rent of over £6,000 for the privilege of placing the benches, but will have no doubt twigged that they don’t need to.  They can simply use the whole of the common, as one big pub.  It’s a winning formula with massive potential. All the Spencer need do now is install the largest pizza oven they can find, an app for delivery and ker-ching.Their toilets open soon, so they can provide conveniences for literally everyone.  Users of the toilets may need to queue,  as well as provide their name and contact deeds, but that’s doable. Less benches, more pizza and lashings of beer. Yay.

John Cameron ● 2116d

This is an interesting article.  If Richmond can do it, why not Wandsworth?  The article is from 20 June 2020 https://www.richmond.gov.uk/community_toilet_scheme

Ivonne Holliday ● 2116d

@VicIt is a common, but it also party central, a vast beer garden and largely brought on by the Spencer opening for takeaway pints.  Pubs, as part of their Premises Licence, are obliged to provide toilets.The Spencer is Now open for business, retailing a vast amount of beer every afternoon and evening. But it cannot be bothered to provide the toilets for which they create the demand. The Spencer toilets will be reopened next week, assuming that the Spencer opens on the basis outline yesterday by BoJo. Next week the Spencer will have no option but to let all these people in then, so why not now?Social distancing is a figment of the Government’s imagination, and has been for weeks.

John Cameron ● 2116d

John, as you  stated many times before, it’s NOT a Park but a Common! You cannot expect the Spencer to allow all these people into their Small Toilets! with Social Distancing.To place Toilets  on the Common would encourage MORE Partygoers ect.

Vic Condon ● 2116d

Johnathan, a bit further along from the Waterman's Arms you have the White Hart, they have benches actually on the towpath for sitting. The Waterman's has been packed for a few weeks now.

Barbara Stevens ● 2117d

I have received a helpful reply from the WPCC to confirm that the industrial bins which I asked them to provide are now ordered and they hope will be delivered shortly.I still think they Conservators should insist that the Spencer provides toilet facilities, to help prevent the public urination and worse.

John Cameron ● 2118d

Very similar in Barnes opposite the Waterman’s Arms. The drinkers are all lined up along the river wall leaving it impossible to walk past and keep any sort of distance. Rather too many of the plastic beer mugs are ending up in the river. Disappointing to say the least.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2118d

I was in Kingston yesterday, and a pub/bar (Woody's ?) was open for takeout drinks; there's a low wall opposite running along the river and it was crammed with upwards of 30 mostly young people, sitting together with no attempt at social distancing.Great that they were enjoying themselves on a lovely evening, but they seem to have completely abandoned any idea of separation. I only hope I'm wrong, but second wave of Covid seems inevitable with heedless behaviour like this.

Richard Carter ● 2118d

Keep Britain Tidy, remember it well.  Now would be called the nanny state.I hope the Spencer Benches can come back, but they will have to have portaloos, or a very effective one way system and much cleaning of their in house loos.Before everyone starts booing, it could be done.... spaced benches, signs on the floor up to the takeaway point for drinks and food maybe?  Here comes Summer!!

Bunny Payne ● 2119d

Roll on the Deposit Return System for all drinks containers.  Scotland is of course already ahead of the rest of the UK on this.  It is high time that packaging had a price on it to encourage its proper disposal.  In other countries around the world people take responsibility and take their drinks containers back for recycling.It is time that people took responsibility for their waste instead of expecting everyone else to clear up after them.  They don't pay enough tax for the valeting service they seem to expect.

Philippa Bond ● 2119d

Someone I know says that every day on their early morning walks they see the same public spirited local residents doing the clear up job either the WPCC should have sorted or the Spencer Arms volunteered to do.The toilets ( and pub for off sales ) are open at the Watermans Arms in Barnes. 

Adrian Pearce ● 2119d

The bins are only going to get worse with the upcoming heatwave this coming week.

Mike Essam ● 2119d

JohnIf that is the case then I agree that pubs should allow their toilets to be used if they insist on stretching the off sales licence to the limit.

Andy Pike ● 2119d

@ AndyThere are numerous public toilets open, subject to social distancing.  Westminster Council have stated there is no restriction on toilets in pubs being used, despite the pub being closed in terms of customers inside.  The Spencer has queues of customers for the takeaway beer, so why not let the same customers use the loos.  There is no restriction on use of portable toilets. Rubbish contractors could pick up industrial bins, as they do every day from thousands similar rubbish points.

John Cameron ● 2120d

That is surprising but hugely encouraging to know.

Andy Pike ● 2120d

Bishops park (north bank of river) have their toilets open as an FYI

Gabrielle O'Mahoney ● 2120d

We went to the Windmill today.  It was absolutely lovely, lots of people walking and playing with their children, others queuing for ice creams...  But it was really fabulous! We saw a bin opposite us and it certainly was not full, let alone overflowing. I wonder if rubbish collections have preferences of late....

Ivonne Holliday ● 2120d

I think industrial sized bins will need special vehicles to empty them. All public toilets in parks on commons are closed due to the lockdown rules.so putting portaloos out would not solve the issue. Same applies to pubs etc at the moment they are not allowed to open.

Andy Pike ● 2120d