Thanks Andy,
I'd like to meet up as we aren't a million miles away. BTW I checked out about allotments in our area today.
Guess wot? 4 year waiting list!
I then suggested to the council that they should think about finding more overgrown land that they own to provide people with what they are asking for. The 'voice' on the phone said, oh that's not my department. You'll have to speak to the 'land people'.

He also said that finding land for cemetries was more important! Pah...I wanna grow something, not get buried!