Londonist has a very low bureaucratic tipping point, and this was reached earlier than usual today when we read of the little old lady’s garden which was trashed by a housing association in the name of health and safety.
89 year old Matilda Finch had been caring for the communal garden on the East London housing estate where she lived for an astonishing 55 years. Along comes some cloth-brained young executive with his mutterings of so much sustainability and regeneration: snicker-snacker and the whole lot is gone. There was talk of rats and over-growth - but considering the patch had previously won awards such as the local London in Bloom competition, this seems unlikely.
This is in the week that has seen some of our parks shut over health and safety issues (although the council in question cites lack of staff as the reason). We are turning into a nation of namby-pamby, lily-livered jobsworths who can’t see beyond the next page of rules, regs and legislation, and who are slowly losing the ability to think rationally for ourselves. This nannying is poison, and should carry its own health warning: doesn't the government read any instructions?
Mark our words, if an H & S inspector comes anywhere near Londonist Towers he will be told where he can shove his (foam padded, non-toxic, BSI stamped) clip-board. Risk assess that!
Garden by Geza (aka Wilsing) via the Londonist flickr pool
