What are the bye-laws relating to bonfires?
There are no bye-laws about bonfires and there are no restrictions on times when you can or can’t have a bonfire. However, if they cause severe disturbance to neighbours or if the smoke endangers traffic, this can be an offence. The Council does not encourage bonfires as they cause air pollution and upset neighbours. Most waste, including garden waste, can be deposited free of charge at the Council’s Civic Amenity and Recycling site at Townmead Road, Kew or collected for recycling for a small fee. Please contact 020 8891 7027 or see the Rubbish, Waste and Recycling pages for further information about this service. If you need to have a bonfire, it is your responsibility to ensure it does not cause a nuisance. Only burn dry garden waste, give neighbours advance notice and take care regarding location, wind direction and fire safety. If your neighbour repeatedly has smoky bonfires, you should approach them to try to resolve the problem. If it continues, contact the residential team on 08
