Council permission

[shooter]

When you dig and extract a find you are taking away property.  That property, in the absence of the person who lost it, belongs to the local Council, who administer the land on behalf of the public.

[Keith67]

Yes ,some valid points taken Keith. However human behaviour is very unpredictable in all forms of walks of life.
We would certainly, in a "perfect world" wish people could hold their drink when out simply socialising, but many often "normal " people turn into vicious drunks when they drink too much while out socialising . Should the answer then be ,putting a draconian total ban drinking or  socialising ,to counter anything such of that antisocial behavior ever happening in the future  ??.
They banned smoking in public places a few years ago . While it solved the smoking in public places issue  ,it also killed off thousands of peoples livelyhood s because look at how many pubs have had to close down now in the UK through people not going to pubs now, because they cannot have a smoke with their Pint ? There are only so many "rules and regulations" you can apply before it turns to oppression .
By one or more  councils giving permission it just goes to show that not every council sees itself as judge & jury against certain hobbies which incidentally is not what they are put in place to decide in a public place, if in general ,any hobby is causing little or no harm to anyone else, and as far as Metal detecting being banned,they have tried to ban metal detecting since 1977 and STILL havn`t achieved banning it.Metal detecting is no different to any other hobby insofar as if people that do the hobby act in a responsible and well being manner ,they will be no problem in allowing it in a public place such as a Public park.
  anyway are you  really suggesting that any " Government " ,would consider backing a ban on metal detecting just to gain support for them in an election They`d have to be pretty desperate measures, to have to go down that route if they did.

Fair points Peter, I just think that presently we cause no issues where we detect and while councils could be a little more flexible to the hobby, open season on local areas could bring problems we don't need.

I worked in my local pub for 8 years, right through the smoking ban. It didn't effect trade.  Many people (including myself) enjoyed trooping off to the smoking area for a change of scenery and a different natter before strolling back to the bar area.  The cost of drinks and the brewery charges killed the local pubs.  I packed up going to the pub because the cost started to outweigh the enjoyment.  Most of the drinkers I knew are still going out.  They take the bus to town where the big chains offer pints at £1.99, and they are thriving while the small pubs decline.

[Peter]

Well Keith. I can truthfully tell you that 9 pubs in and  around my area have closed  in the past couple of years and I think of a few more out of my immediate are which also have closed. OK ,we could argue the toss as to what contributed the " most "  to their closures, but   I feel the no smoking ban dealt a hefty blow towards their closures , and probably rises in beer prices were the straw that broke the camels back. 

[Keith67]

Well Keith. I can truthfully tell you that 9 pubs in and  around my area have closed  in the past couple of years and I think of a few more out of my immediate are which also have closed. OK ,we could argue the toss as to what contributed the " most "  to their closures, but   I feel the no smoking ban dealt a hefty blow towards their closures , and probably rises in beer prices were the straw that broke the camels back.

It is a tragic fact Peter, here in my small town we have lost 3 pubs in the last few years and a few others are hanging on.  All the same drinkers are still out there, they have just moved to where they can carry on doing what they like for less cost.  I'm not saying a few smokers didn't get fed up with it, but as a barman who lived through the change even many of the smokers said the pub was nicer now that it didn't stink.  The cost of enjoying a few beers was however something that they were constantly bemoaning.

The breweries are a big problem, they advertise for managers and sell it as a great career but they don't give people the full picture. They make it sound easy to get crowds through the door but it's bloody hard work and a few quiet months are hard to come back from.

I worked for 4 different owners and 3 packed it in due to the overheads, and 2 of those got into bad debt as they desperately tried to hang on.  They were left with no alternative but to keep pushing up the prices to try and make some money.  We sympathised, but ultimately people started scaling down their nights out due to cost.

[Sharkeysend]

Personally, I'd be happy if there was a permit needed for council land detecting, even with a nominal charge. At least that way there would be 'some' defense between official and unofficial detectorists. It might not deter all the wastrels that go out causing issues by being inconsiderate, etc but it'd be something. On a side note, the downside I foresee of detecting on council land such as parks, etc is going to be random people wondering up and disturbing me - unsociable I know but I suspect any detecting I do in such areas will be confined to less sociable times. Less popular council land shouldn't be too much of a problem I guess.

[Keith67]

Personally, I'd be happy if there was a permit needed for council land detecting, even with a nominal charge. At least that way there would be 'some' defense between official and unofficial detectorists. It might not deter all the wastrels that go out causing issues by being inconsiderate, etc but it'd be something. On a side note, the downside I foresee of detecting on council land such as parks, etc is going to be random people wondering up and disturbing me - unsociable I know but I suspect any detecting I do in such areas will be confined to less sociable times. Less popular council land shouldn't be too much of a problem I guess.

Wise words Sharky.  Some of those people could be very disturbing indeed, and you have an expensive bit of kit in your hands.

[Redfoot]

I would suggest you all get back on to your respective councils and tell them you want the same level of Civic Amenity shown to golfers horse riders football players rugby players allotment holders mountain bikers all are provided land to carry out their hobbies on public land and many do a lot more visual damage to the grass than digging out a metal object, tell them that they are discriminating against you and discouraging you from partaking in a legal past time, that is healthy and helps to remove waste and harmful metals from the environment and adds to recycling our hobby has so many plus points we need to pester these jobsworths till they stop discriminating against us it is public land that is being managed by people who have no interest in it or its use to the community at large fight them all the time dont give up use your MP get him / her to write to your council and explain why they are discriminating against you and metal detecting it works wonders

[Keith67]

I would suggest you all get back on to your respective councils and tell them you want the same level of Civic Amenity shown to golfers horse riders football players rugby players allotment holders mountain bikers all are provided land to carry out their hobbies on public land and many do a lot more visual damage to the grass than digging out a metal object, tell them that they are discriminating against you and discouraging you from partaking in a legal past time, that is healthy and helps to remove waste and harmful metals from the environment and adds to recycling our hobby has so many plus points we need to pester these jobsworths till they stop discriminating against us it is public land that is being managed by people who have no interest in it or its use to the community at large fight them all the time dont give up use your MP get him / her to write to your council and explain why they are discriminating against you and metal detecting it works wonders

I like your style Redfoot, you make a very good point mate.

[Flatlander]

Living where I do if I went to my local park I would probably be robbed as soon as I dug up my first signal ! If I took a skateboard and a bag of weed I would be welcomed with open arms !

[Peter]

A very sad state of the times.  A bit like Sodom & Gomorrah times .
Well If any scroat wants to try & relieve me of my detector, they gotta go through my side kick  Mr Spade first, to get to it !