Council mulls disposable barbecue beach ban

A council is considering a total ban on the use of disposable barbecues on beaches following this summer's spate of wildfires.

Cornwall Council's cabinet member for community safety Thalia Marrington said it has started looking at the possibility of introducing a public spaces protection order to restrict their use.

Councillor James Mustoe, who has previously raised the issue, asked a wellbeing scrutiny meeting on 10 September if it was time to ban disposable barbecues, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It comes after housing, communities and local government secretary Angela Rayner urged councils to consider banning open fires, campfires and barbecues in highly vulnerable areas.

A public spaces protection order is a legal tool used by local councils to ban or restrict specific activities in a defined zone, such as dog bans on beaches.

The council's head of public protection Kevin Brader said it had been discussing the issue with Cornwall Fire Service.

He said a substantial stakeholder consultation would be needed and the council had written to some of the county's larger landowners asking for their views.

The council is considering introducing an order for three years, which could be renewed after more consultation.

The government sent out an emergency text to millions of mobile phones on 14 August warning about fire risks.

Councillor Brian Clemens told the meeting he worked in retail and had pulled all disposable barbecues immediately when the fire risk started.

"It's a bit unfortunate because a lot of the disposable barbecues we sell are used at home, but I think if things are going to continue like this I would certainly support a total ban as somebody who sells them," he said.

Mustoe said he was concerned about the fire risk and cases "where barbecues have been buried and caused injuries by making the sand dangerously hot".

He told the LDRS: "Given the national moves around temporarily restricting the sale and use of single use barbecues over the summer due to the wildfires that have been caused, I think that now is the time for Cornwall Council to look at this again."

He said he was pleased "this is being closely considered as a future option".

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