One of the attractions of allotments is that they are a great place to switch off and forget everyday problems.
But there are growing problems for the green-fingered fraternity of Great Yarmouth.
A long-running dispute between some members of the Norfolk seaside town’s 14 allotments and the committee that runs them means things aren’t all that rosy.
The saga revolves around allegations by plot holders that they have been the victims of bullying, racism and criminal damage – with police becoming involved in one recent incident and another case ending up in court.
They claim the management of Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Allotments Association has failed to tackle problems and have evicted some of their number unfairly.
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Pictured: Giedre Giedryte, who has been handed an eviction notice after tending an allotment at the Tar Works Road site for 16 years
This picture shows the fence on Ms Giedryte’s plot that was ‘knocked down’ and investigated by police
The committee claims the complaints are limited to a ‘small clique of troublemakers’ with a ‘grudge’ and the vast majority of members are happy.
The mudslinging became so bad that all the committee members stood down two years ago to allow others to take over – only to resume their roles when no one stepped up.
The chairman, who asked not to be named, said: ‘The clique is about five or six members, across two or three sites.
‘They’re like piranhas. When they see someone coming along who’s a bit fragile, they jump on it. They use it for their own entertainment.
‘When you’ve got a massive group of people – and we’ve got 700 or more members – they are not always going to get on.’
Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Allotments where plot holders say they have been the victims of bullying, racism and criminal damage
But one of the leading critics, Giedre Giedryte, 35, who has been handed an eviction notice after tending an allotment at the Tar Works Road site for 16 years, said her treatment had been ‘nasty’ and ‘racist’ – although she didn’t clarify her cultural background or give examples of the alleged bigoted behaviour.
Allegations in the eviction letter included failing to close the gates and ‘inaccurate complaints’ against the National Allotment Association – all of which she said were ‘created’.
‘We come here to grow vegetables and teach our children but it ends up being a nightmare,’ she said.
Norfolk Police launched an investigation into alleged criminal damage last month after a fence at her plot was ‘knocked down’.
Another complainant, who had a plot at the Runham Vauxhall allotments for six years, alleged he had been ‘a victim of bullying for two years’.
‘I was threatened by [another plot holder] to burn down my house while I was on holiday and shoot my cats,’ he said.
‘The allotment committee refused to do anything about it.
A 46-year-old claimed he had been ‘verbally abused’ by other gardeners for ‘four or five’ of the eight years he’d been a member but he was the one who ended up being locked out last summer when he wasn’t issued with a new key after the padlock was changed.
‘They were chasing me to find reasons to get me kicked out,’ he said.
Another man said someone had urinated on his plot three times but his complaints were ‘brushed under the carpet’.
‘We suffered constantly with abusive comments and hand gestures but no action was ever taken,’ he said.
But one plot-holder defended the committee yesterday, saying: ‘I don’t think they’re doing anything wrong. Some people like to complain, even when they’re in the wrong.’
And a 75-year-old member said: ‘These gardens are supposed to be for letting off stress but we get more hassle than anything.’
Bad blood has been growing since as far back as 2008, when the committee was accused of failing to maintain sites and allowing vacant plots to become ‘covered in a thicket of brambles’.
In 2019, management group member Scott Laing said his then 12-year-old daughter had been ‘verbally abused and threatened’ and another child had been ‘dragged off’ their bike.
Another committee member, David Cardle, said at the time: ‘One lady was actually threatened with the words ‘I could have you removed for £500′.’
The committee line-up has changed over the years and a source said in some cases complaints dated back to when other people were in charge.
They added: ‘In 2022, none of us were going to stand [for re-election] but no one put themselves up for the positions.
‘They all had the opportunity to take the reins but they’re just happy to cause as much trouble as they can.
‘The existing members reapplied in the end through the proper channels.
‘The allegations are completely unfounded and it’s just disgruntled people who seem to have an axe to grind against committee members.’
The chairman admitted one former allotment holder had been awarded more than £1,000 of damages at Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court two years ago for unlawful eviction.
But she said the compensation was for failing to follow proper procedure and the magistrates had not ordered the individual’s reinstatement.
There had also been problems with rent collections by allotment secretaries going missing, meaning the association was switching to direct debts where possible.
‘We try to evict people sympathetically because we know the impact. If they choose to go public, that up to them,’ she added.
The association said some people had been evicted for ‘the safety of other members’, while the damaged fence was discovered after there had been ’60mph winds’ in the area.
A Norfolk Police spokeswoman said: ‘An incident of criminal damage to a fence on Tar Works Road, Great Yamouth, was reported to police.
‘The damage is believed to have taken place some time between January 10-12.
‘Following enquiries, the investigation has been closed and no suspect was identified.’