A row broke out last week after Wellington Town Council closed its Basins allotments on instructions from police who had visited the site and told people to go home.

Police said it was unnecessary travel and tending to an allotment was not a reason to be out during the coronavirus emergency.

But the closure was later relaxed after a stream of complaints by allotments holders and some town councillors.

They pointed out that Cabinet Minister Michael Gove specifically said it was good for people to tend allotments, and the BBC’s Gardeners’ World magazine was encouraging the activity and stated people could drive their cars to do so.

Instead, the council, which has more than 100 plots at The Basins, advised tenants they could use the allotments only if they walked or cycled there, as the police were banning them from driving to the site.

But town and county councillor John Thorne said: “The police have got this one badly wrong and I hope they are not going to be slapping £30 fines on people tending their allotments.

“I have written to Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens asking her urgently to tell our local police to use more common sense on this issue.

“I appreciate the police have a difficult job to do and that the present circumstances are unfamiliar and challenging, but they should be directing their efforts elsewhere.

“People are using their cars to drive to the supermarket for shopping or going to collect a prescription, and also for work if they are not working at home.

“So, using their car to go to the allotments should not be banned. The issue is whether the journey is necessary, it is not the mode of transport.”

For the full story, see this week’s Wellington Weekly News.