Allotment Site - Gate security

[BAK]

We have a padlocked gate. The basic system is that the gate is kept open while any plot holder(s) is on site. The last one out locks the gate.

That is the theory. In practice at least 2-3 times per week during the growing season the gate is not locked by the last person out. Although one has a shrewd idea who the culprits are, catching them is a different matter.

Does anybody have a more foolproof method of ensuring that the gate is locked? - except keeping the gate locked all the time which we would prefer not to do if at all possible.

PS we have no electricity supply.

All ideas welcome.

[Borlotti]

It should be locked at all times.  Otherwise anyone can come into the site and if people are busy digging don't notice.  The lady on the plot next to me had her bag stolen out of her car (unlocked)  that was parked under a tree, she saw the boys run off but too late.  The gate was open, I suppose they could have jumped over, but an open gate is an invitation to enter.  If the gate is open we get people walking about as we are near playing fields and get confused.  Lock it, lock it, it only takes a few minutes to unlock and at least you know who is on the site.

[Sparkly]

Ask people to lock the gate despite being on the site. That way people may be less likely to forget to lock it as they are in the habit.  

[elvis2003]

i personally would prefer our gate to be locked all the time,but,as another plotholder said,at least when its open its obvious that its a working site and wont be blocked with cars

[Flighty]

We lock ours at all times, although at times people forget or can't be bothered.

[ceres]

We have 2 entrances in an 8 foot brick boundary wall.  The pedestrian door has a yale lock so anyone with a key can come and go at anytime.  The vehicle entrance has double wooden 8 foot gates secured with a padlock and bar.  We have a very kind volunteer who opens this at 8.30 every morning and locks it at night - the time depends on the time of year.  It has just gone back to 7pm which is what it will be all summer.  Inside the wooden gates is a vehicle cage made of 8 foot steel bar fencing which you drive into.  It has double gates at the opposite end to the entrance.  You get out of your vehicle, let yourself in with your key through the pedestrian door, open the vehicle cage cage from the inside, drive through then close the vehicle cage.  This keeps the site secure during the day.

There is no check done whether there are still cars on site when the outer gates are closed.  There's a sign on the gate saying what time they will be closed.  If you get locked in, it's tough.  Your car is there until the gates are opened in the morning.  Most people only do it once!

[saddad]

Our "bottom" gate is a nuisance for being left open. I keep threatening to have it welded shut if they can't police it themselves... 

[taurus]

The rule on our site is to keep the gates locked at all times.  This keeps the kids out.  We just need a couple of property's fenced off and this should stop the stealing of crops we had last year.   

[spudsmummy]

hi there
at our plot the gates are locked during the week, we have to lock it on way in and out. at weekends the gate is open during the day as the shop is open as well but then its down to the site manager to lock it.   

[flowerofshona2007]

Our gate is locked all the time and all plot holders have a key.

[Lottie103]

All pedestrian gates at ours are locked at all times. We have a main vehicle gate that is also locked at all times, except during designated times on days when the onsite club is open. It feels much `friendlier' going down at those times because you generally see more people and that entrance takes you past the club noticeboard and means there's no faffing around with the padlocks. However, it's a bit of a double-edged sword because some of those attending functions at the clubhouse are also those who wander around the plots throwing stones at greenhouses etc grrrr.

I'm not sure a `last person out' rule would work at ours because you never know if anyone else is on site? Works OK if you assume no cars = no people I suppose, but we walk to our lottie. I imagine some people would choose to assume someone else must be around...

[ktlawson]

I will be watching this thread closely as we are considering getting a padlocked gate.  The lock will have to be secured to the gate in some way so as to prevent people walking off with the lock or worse, throwing it away......

[saddad]

Our locks are chained to the gate... but some ***** broke the bottom one off. 

[hopalong]

The entrance to our site is next to a school and close to a busy road. We have double gates for cars and a side gate for pedestrians and they are locked at all times.  All plotholders have keys and the locks are changed periodically.

[Trevor_D]

Our gates are kept locked at all times. Our car park is a 2-minute walk from the station and we don't want it used by commuters! (Or fly-tippers!)

The padlock is chained to the gate and all members have keys. Our other gate is shared with our on-site stables and they have a keypad entry system, the numbers being changed regularly.

[shirlton]

Our gates are padlocked. We have a notice up saying that they should be locked at all times but you always get them that think they know better and leave em open,

[luap]

all 3 gates locked at all times even if your there for 5 mins ,it's a strict rule but it works!!!

[Mr Smith]

 I have been down to the lotty first thing in the morning recently and on two occasions the locked gate as been left wide open, on e-mailing our contact at the council a notice  is now attached  to the gate saying it must be kept shut at all times, lets hope this works,  

[Robert_Brenchley]

We used to have the gate unlocked when people were about. The result was that it was regularly left open at night, we had people bringing prostitutes onto the site, and we had regular breakins. It all stopped when we started keeping the gate locked.

We still get prostitutes in the lane, but at least they don't get on the site; it's not nice to come out of your plot and find someone shagging a sleeper right outside! We've been trying to sort the lane out for ages; there is a gate near the top, but no sooner was it put in than the Tennis Club changed their minds and wouldn't agree to its being locked at night!

[tonybloke]

if the gate/s are not locked you are not covered for theft on your insurance.
just get a chain welded to the gate (and to the padlock) to avoid losing it!!