The Changing Face of Allotments: Findings from a Comprehensive Birmingham Study

Abstract

Interest in allotments is growing across the country, yet relatively little is known about them. Who are the current plot-holders; what do they grow and the volumes of crops harvested; what are the wider health and social benefits gained from being a plot-holder; how are allotments responding to an era of local government austerity?. To explore these issues, we undertook a survey of allotment tenants and site secretaries across Birmingham's 113 sites in the most substantial study of plot-holders undertaken in recent years. This article highlights the key findings and the potential implications for policy makers, local councillors and national politicians. It also indicates the need for similar studies elsewhere in the country to confirm or modify the picture suggested from this initial study.