Beach kiosk owner points out danger of barbecues
A CONCERNED beach kiosk owner is reminding islanders of the precautions for having barbecues on or around the beach, after seeing the aftermath.
Dave Barlow, of Grandes Rocques kiosk, has identified three key areas where beach-goers could improve their safety.
‘It’s quite a grey area, even for us, on the dos and don’ts of having barbecues on the beach and we want to ensure people are staying safe and just having a bit of beach etiquette while they enjoy themselves,’ he said.
Barbecues left on the kiosk’s wooden benches and close to the wooden building are a risk to Mr Barlow’s livelihood.
Secondly there is a risk to the public, with children running around and people walking to and from the toilets.
His other concern is barbecues close to coastal grass, which pose a risk to the very dry vegetation and the creatures that live inside it.
Mr Barlow leaves the kiosk benches out overnight for beach-goers to use, however he is concerned about fire, and health and safety risks.
‘All in all, everyone is pretty good and they want to be on the beach with charcoal barbecues, but sometimes people with gas barbecues light them up on the benches which is close to the vegetation, the kiosk and the main pathway,’ he said.
‘We want people to enjoy themselves and have a good time, but to ensure they are being safe as well.’
Donna Regan, also of Grandes Rocques Kiosk, said that there had been a couple of occasions where the pair had come down in the morning to find the bin smouldering and melted from disposable barbecues, and friends who live close by have informed them of bin fires at the kiosk after closing time.
‘We’re definitely seeing it become a more common problem, I think since Covid people are doing more outdoor things, but they’ve forgotten the risk factors and especially now in this heat,’ she said.
The States’ ‘beach code’ barbecue advice states that barbecues should be lit below the high tide mark and at least four meters away from any vegetation, and away from any shingle as stones can explode if they get too hot.
Also, barbecues should only be lit after 5pm and put out before midnight, and all burning embers should be doused in seawater, along with surrounding sand, until the remnants are cold to touch and can be disposed of.
n The full States guidance is at www.gov.gg/beachbbq
