Popular South Yorkshire beauty spot bans barbeques as warmer weather finally arrives
A popular beauty spot that attracts countless visitors every year has banned barbeques in a bid to curb littering.
Rother Valley Country Park is one of the county’s most stunning natural spots, boasting a number of outdoor leisure activities like mountain biking, water sports and even a campsite.
But in a new bid to tackle littering, bosses have announced that this year they will be banning all barbeques from the park, hoping to help ‘protect people, wildlife and our green spaces’.
The announcement comes as warm weather finally begins to grace South Yorkshire, with temperatures expected to reach 16 degrees at the weekend.
A statement on the country park’s Facebook page explained: “This includes barbecues of any kind (disposable, wood, coal and gas). In line with the other country parks, this will help protect the park, our visitors and the wildlife.
“Of course, picnics are still very much welcome at the park as we understand that eating outdoors is part of the Rother Valley experience. We kindly ask that visitors take any rubbish and leftovers home with you or recycle them.
“Even when used carefully, barbecues on or off the ground can and have sparked grass fires and caused serious damage and harm to the park and to visitors. Such incidents put people, pets, and wildlife at risk, so prohibiting barbecues from the park is an important step we are taking to ensure safety for everyone.”
Last summer, visitors complained to The Star about littering around the park, which is run by Rotherham Council.
In July, one visitor sent in pictures showing two barbeques abandoned by the lake’s bank, surrounded by black bin bags.
As spring begins the park is expected to start getting busy again, and based on Facebook comments people are celebrating the new decision.
One person wrote: “We visit often and walks are spoilt by the leftover coals of barbecues and litter.“
“Really glad to see this,” another added.
“It makes the park much more pleasant for everyone when we don’t have to worry about smoke or the damage left behind by disposable BBQs. Looking forward to more picnics here.”