Andover Town Council has relented on the “disgusting” decision to ban an allotment holder from making videos on his plot.

The council had told Nick Turner-Howe that he wasn’t able to make videos for his YouTube channel due to concerns over how it would affect the data protection and privacy rights of other allotment holders, a decision he said “really annoyed” him.

“I’ve been doing my videos for over a year now and this is the first time I’ve actually been told that I can’t do them. I don’t know why,” he said.

However, the council has now backed down after ‘seeking clarity from the Information Commissioner’, a decision Nick said was “amazing”.

Nick began making videos on his allotment last year, and launched a YouTube channel, Nick’s Veggie Patch, in April 2020. In his videos, he discusses the work he’s doing on his allotment, and what’s growing on his plot.

Having made videos throughout this period without issue, he was informed at the start of April that he was unable to make the videos anymore.

He told his subscribers: “I’ve got some sad news for you. I was told in the week I can no longer do my recording from the allotment plot by the local town council so as for now temporarily, there won’t be any videos coming from Nick’s Veggie Patch.

“I will still make videos, just not from my allotment plot at the moment and make them from home.”

“I’m just really annoyed because I’ve been doing my videos for over a year now and this is the first time I’ve actually been told that I can’t do them. I don’t know why.

“They’ve told me evidently I have not got permission to do them. I didn’t think I needed permission, but if I do then obviously I do, but I’m going to look into and find out what’s happening.

“I feel what I’ve done has helped loads of people.”

Nick also said he might start making videos from home after he moves into a new house with its own garden, and sought advice from other allotment holders in Andover and across the world.

The issue was subsequently raised at a meeting of Andover Town Council’s Allotment Committee on April 14, where Nigel Long branded the decision “disgusting” and called for an apology.

He said: “Recently, on social media, there was an allotment holder doing YouTube videos from one of the allotments. I want to know why a member of staff has told that person to stop doing these YouTubes.

“If anybody was seriously into gardening you would know that there were many, many, many videos of people doing stuff in their allotments. They’re not breaching GDPR. I think it’s disgusting that the town council has asked this person to stop producing these videos. They should be praising that person.

“They weren’t showing any other person. They were showing what they were doing on their allotment, what they were growing and if you go on social media they’ve been shown to people who specialise in growing veg, dahlias, chrysanthemums, etc. I think it’s disgusting that the town council has asked this person to stop producing these videos. Can you give me a reason why they’ve been told to stop?

“I think you should issue an apology because it’s actually promoting the town council allotments and I think it’s disgusting what you’re doing.”

Cllr Luigi Gregori, the chair of the committee, said that there had been concerns over the rights of others in the background of the video. While individuals without a ‘reasonable expectation of privacy’ can be filmed without permission, different rules apply in different contexts.

He said: “I accept what you’re saying, but it’s actually a bit more difficult than that. I’ve actually looked at some of these YouTube videos and the specific rules around them so as soon as he starts, for example, having somebody in the background there’s a particular type of issue.

“Now, there’s nothing that we can’t work our way through and I accept the fact that it’s good if somebody does YouTube videos under the right rules and so forth. But we’ve had to go through a specific process for this.”

He added: “We are now liaising with the individual concerned and we sought clarity from the Information Commissioner. Then we will reply to the individual concerned, and in due course we will inform you in writing of what we have done.”

Nick has now put out another video announcing the return of his videos after coming to an agreement with the council.

He said: “Nick’s Veggie Patch will be returning this weekend. It’s thanks to all my friends. My channel has been given the green light to return and I have been told I’ve been breaking no rules.

“Basically, I’ve been told as long as I ask permission from anyone in my video I’m absolutely fine to do my videos. I’m really ecstatic to continue doing my amazing videos that I love to do.”

He paid tribute to other allotment holders, residents and YouTubers, such as Maureen Treadwell and Michael Parker, saying: “I’m really happy to be coming back and it’s in no small part to you guys.”

To follow Nick’s videos, visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHkuT1st5PV4bxR4prDodNA/videos