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[Travel] Faversham open gardens and public liability insurance question



GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,797
Gloucester
Cheers. Our council are hopeless. Sadly it is too late for Open Gardens now as people are knee-jerk refusing to open rather than pour over the T&C of their home insurance.
Something similar happened here, only it was with someone who used to put on an excellent Christmas lights display. Families took ther children to see the lights and put some money in a charity box. This carried on for years, never a problem, part of a Gloucester Christmas.
Then somebody (some jobsworth?) put the boot in - it had to be inspected (or installed) by an electrician designated (by the council, I think - I can't remember the exact details, so I don't want to libel any particular organisation), and I think insurance and a licence came into it somewhere (all things that had never been needed for the last 10-15 years or more).
The upshot was that if he wanted to do it again he'd be faced with a bil of (IIRC) £3000. This childrens' Christmas treat doesn't happen any more, and a worth while charity has had its funds reduced.

Mindless.
 
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wellquickwoody

Many More Voting Years
NSC Patron
Aug 10, 2007
13,624
Melbourne
One thing of great beauty is the annual one-day Faversham Open Gardens where people allow strangers to visit and see 30 or so gardens. Participants provide the organizer with a bit of info and a booklet with a map showing the location of the gardens is produced. The organizers charge a fiver for the booklet. All the profits go to 'The Faversham Society', a registered charity (https://favershamsociety.org/).

This year the organizers have been told (by someone - presumably the council) that each householder will need public liability insurance. This means most of us won't be opening our gardens any more, and the whole thing is likely to die.

So....if I have a couple of mates round to dinner, or to sit on my patio, do I need public liability insurance, or would this be the case only if a third party charges them for a booklet, or if they are not really mates but some people I met today down the pub, or someone I have never met before and have invited here via Tinder/Grindr?

This smells like bullshit to me. Anyone know the laws on this?
Bureaucratic interpretation in my view. The answer will never be known for sure until tested in a court.
 




Cotton Socks

Skint Supporter
Feb 20, 2017
1,736
For the Brighton Festival there are 'Open Houses' where you can go & look at their artworks or whatever. Perhaps try & get in contact with the 'Open House' organisers or one of the people that are having an 'Open House' to see what they do? I'm pretty sure the festival guide has come out that may give you some contact numbers. When I went traipsing through peoples houses after the 'children's parade' pretending I was 'arty' with my son, I didn't have to buy a ticket. You possibly could consider getting everyone to sign a waiver form though?
 


Winker

CUM ON FEEL THE NOIZE
Jul 14, 2008
2,399
The Astral Planes, man...
One thing of great beauty is the annual one-day Faversham Open Gardens where people allow strangers to visit and see 30 or so gardens. Participants provide the organizer with a bit of info and a booklet with a map showing the location of the gardens is produced. The organizers charge a fiver for the booklet. All the profits go to 'The Faversham Society', a registered charity (https://favershamsociety.org/).

This year the organizers have been told (by someone - presumably the council) that each householder will need public liability insurance. This means most of us won't be opening our gardens any more, and the whole thing is likely to die.

So....if I have a couple of mates round to dinner, or to sit on my patio, do I need public liability insurance, or would this be the case only if a third party charges them for a booklet, or if they are not really mates but some people I met today down the pub, or someone I have never met before and have invited here via Tinder/Grindr?

This smells like bullshit to me. Anyone know the laws on this?

There is a charity called the National Gardens Scheme ('The Yellow Book'). Where people all over the country open their gardens for charity one or two days a year.

They must have a way round liability insurance. Perhaps your organisers can contact them for advice?
 




Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
50,327
Faversham
There is a charity called the National Gardens Scheme ('The Yellow Book'). Where people all over the country open their gardens for charity one or two days a year.

They must have a way round liability insurance. Perhaps your organisers can contact them for advice?
I may contact them. They have dropped a massive bollock over this.

Anyone interested in sniffing my echium, PM me and form an orderly queue. And mind that hazard - I'm not insured against tomfoolery :wink:.
 


Cotton Socks

Skint Supporter
Feb 20, 2017
1,736
I may contact them. They have dropped a massive bollock over this.

Anyone interested in sniffing my echium, PM me and form an orderly queue. And mind that hazard - I'm not insured against tomfoolery :wink:.
If you had known you were going to do this years ago you could've got some poppy seeds from @Stat Brother & created living directions. Yes I know it's the wrong time of year but it's the thought that counts! 😊
 


happypig

Staring at the rude boys
May 23, 2009
7,974
Eastbourne
I think some photos of your estate wold be nice Harry …look forward to you posting some…no PL required
23A868E800000578-0-image-8_1417519969166.jpg

"Ma own little bit 'o heaven"
 




drew

Drew
Oct 3, 2006
23,071
Burgess Hill
As far as I'm aware PL Insurance is only required for businesses
Household insurance includes an element of public liability cover under the guise of either Occupiers Liability or Owners Liability or possibly still called Public liability. Also, I suspect charities that hold fund raising events will need to have some insurance cover.
 


drew

Drew
Oct 3, 2006
23,071
Burgess Hill
Cheers. Our council are hopeless. Sadly it is too late for Open Gardens now as people are knee-jerk refusing to open rather than pour over the T&C of their home insurance.

Might be worth contacting this mob to see whether they agree with your council!
 


PILTDOWN MAN

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 15, 2004
18,718
Hurst Green
I’ll just add it’s not just for business as we needed it for the sports field not for the sport activities but to cover the footpath going through it and believe it or not legal trespass.

Cost the sports association a lot of money. I was the chairman for over ten years so speak with some knowledge about it.
 




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