Bidford villagers angry at invasion of day-trippers on Big Meadow
BIDFORD residents were left fuming again after last weekend’s hot weather brought crowds of day-trippers.
Anger has been building about whether barbecues should be allowed on the Big Meadow, so the fresh onslaught of litter, noise and people parking where they shouldn’t has aggravated the heated debate.
Some locals described the area near the river as “like a festival” across the 11th and 12th May. One woman told how she’d picked up 70 empty plastic bottles on Friday but “gave up counting at 42” on Saturday morning.
She described herself as “appalled at the lack of respect for the environment of our wonderful Meadow”.
Seeing rope barriers ripped down so that cars could park where they shouldn’t made one man angry and he complained: “I don’t even walk my dog down there on nice days because it’s an obstacle course of cars parked bumper to bumper in a large circle and… rubbish all over grass”.
Meanwhile, a petition calling for barbecues and open fires at the Big Meadow to be banned has attracted almost 600 signatures.
Bidford resident Daniel Rogers, who launched the petition on 20th March via change.org, said it was prompted by witnessing “the deterioration of our beloved Big Meadow”.
Bidford Parish Council has invited residents to a presentation and drop-in session from 6pm-8pm on Wednesday 22nd May at its meeting room in Bramley Way to mark the launch of a four-week Big Meadow consultation which will run until 21st June. Residents will be encouraged to share their views and the responses will be assessed and published in a document produced by an independent third party.
The results and findings will be discussed at the PC’s July meeting.
Bidford Parish Council clerk Elisabeth Uggerloese said some people tend to forget the Big Meadow is a public space, not just for residents. Pointing out 2023 was the first summer with no Covid-related restrictions, she said it’s misleading to compare it with quieter-than-normal previous summers.
And as well as highlighting a 30 per cent growth in Bidford’s population, she cast doubt on some ‘evidence’ including pictures and videos posted on social media which claims to be from last weekend.
Ms Uggerloese said: “People have forgotten the Big Meadow has been a holiday destination for people from the West Midlands for 50-60 years.
“One of the things being put around is that the Big Meadow is for local residents only and it’s not. It’s a public open space that’s open to everybody.
“Then there’s this thing that barbecues are new. No, they’re not – there have been barbecues on the Big Meadow for years. Some authorities have banned barbecues, others have banned them in designated areas and that’s what the parish council is exploring.”
She added: “It’s also about what’s feasible because if you make a policy, you’ve got to be able to enforce it. It’s a very large area and the independent third party working with us says he doesn’t know of any other parish or town council that has to manage such a large area.”
Ms Uggerloese urged anyone who’s signed the petition to also take part in the consultation.
She said: “Social media tends to be populated by the vociferous – they don’t necessarily represent the majority of residents.”