"Ian B" wrote
Apologies; thinking in economic terms as I was, "free" and "subsidised"
are the same thing; that is the State is transferring value from one place
to another. But yes, I should have been more exact.

The point stands regardless, this is land "alloted", hence the name, by
the State; that's why there's a waiting list and council bureaucrats etc
to deal with; as with any other state provision, you get what you're
given, or can beg, cajole, etc, out of those bureaucrats. That's why
people sometimes post here thrilled that the Council has finally allotted
them an allotment of land. Remember when you had to wait a year and a half
to get a telephone? Same thing.

I answered this politically because it's a political issue; events like
the one described occur because of the nature of the (State) beast.
Otherwise it's like complaining about the NHS but considering discussion
of its nationalised nature too political.

Anyway, as I said PtePike has all my sympathy. It must indeed have been an
utterly heartbreaking sight.

Glad you cleared that up, however I think you are making this too Political
in that the State does not get involved in allotments except when there is a
serious problem, like a Council that wants change of use for the site and
it's Statutory Allotment Land, or the Gov't wish to change the guidelines
Councils have to follow.
Normally it's purely a very local thing between gardeners and their local
Council officer/s that deal with allotments, the State, as you put it, knows
nothing about who has what.
I might add that there are allotment sites that are non-council owned.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK