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Camden New Journal - By RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 7 June 2007

Barbie row put on back burner

THE barbecue is back on. Well, only sort of.
Camden Council yesterday (Wednesday) moved to cool down the sizzling row over this summer’s ban on coal barbecues by offering to pay for gas-fired alternatives.
Leisure chiefs were ridiculed last month as “fun-busters” when they ruled that charcoal barbecues could not be used in public places.
They refuse to lift the ban but say they will offer £100 payouts to community festivals which want to hire a gas barbecue.
A council press official said: “We provide a lot of support to community festivals and we want to make them as successful and safe as possible. To do that we are making money available to festival organisers to hire gas barbecues for their event.”
The heated dispute flared up when organisers of the Primrose Hill festival in Chalcot Square were told that, on health and safety grounds, they should abandon the use of traditional coals.
Keith Bird, who has run the food stall for more than 20 years without any accident or mishap, was also told he should go on a health and safety course, a demand which has now been relaxed by the council.
Mr Bird said the £100 offer would not cover the £400 charge for gas alternatives.
He added: “The fact is that gas barbecues are not as efficient as coal ones. It takes longer to cook. We normally cook 600 or so items but I’m not sure whether we will be able to do that this year.” The festival will be held on June 16.

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