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Eye Library coffee club: forced to close over 'safety fears'
RIGOROUS health and safety rules have created a real storm in a coffee cup.
RIGOROUS health and safety rules have created a real storm in a coffee cup.Pensioners' tempers boiled over after their coffee morning was axed because of fears a hot drink might be spilt over a child.
The seven elderly members of the Over 50s coffee morning say there has never been a drop of trouble in more than four years they have used the library in Buckshorn Lane, in Eye, near Peterborough.
But council officials remain unconvinced and have axed the Tuesday coffee morning group to ensure the safety of the toddlers from a nearby nursery who use the library at the same time.
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And although officials say they are willing to look at other meeting times for the group, members say they have already arranged to meet at each other's homes instead.
Coffee club member Derek Taylor, of The Crescent, in Eye, said: "It is just laughable really. It is health and safety gone through the roof.
"Nearly four years ago we set up a coffee morning at Eye Library after the librarian at the time came up with the idea, and since then about seven of us have been going there every Tuesday.
"About three weeks ago a toddlers group started coming up on the Tuesday as well, and then this week when we went, we were told that we would not be allowed any tea or coffee because of health and safety reasons because there is a risk we could spill hot tea on the children.
"However, we understand that is not the case at all, because we have always finished our drinks before the children even arrive, and that it is the case that the librarian doesn't want to wash up extra cups.
"It is very disappointing, we all thoroughly enjoy the weekly meeting, it is a chance for us all to catch up and have a chat."
Pat Owen (70) and her husband Ray (69) from Eye Green, near Eye, have also been attending the coffee mornings since they started.
Mrs Owen said: "We originally started the coffee morning to help boost numbers, and it was more as a favour to the librarian at the time. Now we are being told we can't have a hot drink.
"We have now made alternative arrangements and plan to have our coffee mornings at each other's homes."
A spokesman for Peterborough City Council, which is responsible for the library, said: "In recent months a group from the local nursery has started to visit Eye library every Tuesday, between 11am to 11.30am.
"The library is open to all members of the community and, therefore, as this is during normal opening hours, we would not discourage them from doing so.
"Unfortunately, their visit also overlaps with the regular meeting of the Over 50s coffee morning. Eye Library is a small library and there were concerns about hot drinks being served to the group when there were small children sitting very close by.
“However, we do not want to spoil anyone’s fun, and will be speaking to both groups to see if we can be more flexible about the timings so that the nursery group are not in the library at the time the coffee morning is meeting.
“We would like to speak to both groups to enable both sessions to continue.”
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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