Health and safety ban coffee morning pensioners at public library - because they could spill hot drinks on children



A group of pensioners have been banned from holding a coffee morning at a public library for health and safety reasons - in case they spill hot drinks on children.

The seven members of the Over 50s coffee morning have been meeting every Tuesday for the past four years without incident at the Eye Library in Eye, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.

But council officials have now axed the meetings claiming that toddlers from a nearby nursery who use the library at the same time could be injured if hot coffee spilt on them.

Banned: Derek Taylor slammed the 'laughable' moves of Peterborough City Council for axing the coffee morning group over safety fears

Now members, who used to pay 20p each to the library to cover costs, have arranged to meet at each other's homes instead.

Coffee club member Derek Taylor slammed the 'laughable' move and claimed they had usually finished their drinks by the time the toddlers arrived for their half hour visit.

'It is just laughable really. It is health and safety gone through the roof,' he said.



'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.'

Anger brewing: The Over 50s coffee morning group have now been forced to meet at each other's houses after four years of gatherings at the Eye Library (above) without incident

Retired office worker Patricia Owen, 70, and her husband Ray, 69, have also been attending the coffee mornings since they were launched.

'We are being told we can't have a hot drink. Health and safety is a silly excuse,' Mrs Owen said.



'We have now made alternative arrangements and plan to have our coffee mornings at each other's homes.'



The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has called for sensible risk assessments to be made.

'While the last thing anyone would want is a toddler getting scalded, risk assessments shouldn't only be based on hazards,' said the group's spokesman Carl Christopher.



'They should also be based on the probability of these hazards occurring.

'This would seem to be a disproportionate reaction to risk. I'm sure a sensible compromise could be found that does not leave these pensioners on the streets.'



Peterborough City Council, who run the library, said there were 'concerns' about hot drinks being served when children were close by.

A spokesman said: 'In recent months a group from the local nursery has started to visit Eye library every Tuesday, between 11am to 11.30am.

'Unfortunately, their visit also overlaps with the regular meeting of the Over 50s coffee morning.

'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.'