Next door vegan neighbours objecting to us barbecuing Post Reply

[mylifestory]

The vegans are mad for saying don't bbq. 
the others are mad for saying they will get an injunction against u. This simply won't happen, there is no law against bbq-ing Meat in yr own garden!
You need a compromise to be nieghbourly. It's tough if they are vegan bt bbq-ing it seems most days which directly affects other ppl is also unreasonable.

[dwt]

By the simple admission you do not like to cook inside your own house due to the smell this leaves, I think that answers your own question really. Perhaps you should invest in a better extractor system in your own kitchen rather than cooking outside everyday to avoid the smells in your own house? I am a meat eater and have a small smokeless BBQ in my garden which we use occasionally but my neighbours opposite took to BBQing everyday in the summer months during lockdown. As you will remember we had many hot days so my garden doors were fully open for much of the day. But every time my neighbours opposite fired up their BBQ we had to shut the doors and all the windows to prevent the acrid smoke coming through our home. You should be able to BBQ but I think 'everyday all year around' would be enough to drive anyone mad so I think you need to compromise here and start to cook in doors more. If you don't like the smells this leaves behind then think of your neighbours.....and suggest you need to invest in your extractor system.

[Invisiblewoman]

This is tricky one as I, like others, see both sides of the argument.

Gas bbq’s give out very little smoke and if they put the lid down there is less smell but there is still a smell. Therefore, the OP might want to cook inside with their doors and windows opened to help minimise the smell in their house. This might not get rid of the smell completely but might help. I personally hate the smell of fried / griddled fish in my house so I bake it instead - there is a different smell and it is far less accrid.

Moving the bbq would help and might appease the neighbours and I would definitely reduce the frequency of bbq’s.

I personally am not a fan of bbq’s but I quietly close my windows and doors (as we love our neighbours) but find it very hard if the bbq is at 7-8pm on a hot night when I’m putting the kids to bed. You wouldn’t like to sleep in a smoke-filled room or boil your kids in their beds on a hot night with the windows closed. So we and they try and bbq lunch or an early dinner so that the air is “clean” for bedtimes.

I Probably wouldn’t want an air purifier from you if I was feeling cross with you. Might be adding insult to injury and I’d be tempted to drop(-kick ) it back to you.

Also, your vegan neighbours might not want your bbq’d vegan food if your bbq has previously cooked meat and fish. You might have to change the grill top to get them to eat it.

I hope you’re not offended by my answer. I see both sides and I hope you find a solution that suits you both. X x Good luck.

[Dickyd]

Dudette -  yes you really do need to get a life. As for a recipe for humanity, in this instance probably Live and Let Live is more than appropirate!

[ellsbells]

I was in a similar situation to your neighbours. We had neighbours who seemed to be using their bbq as a way of cooking meat a good few times a week. I'm a complete meat lover, but it was becoming a real pain. They turned out to be on a temp contract and moved out, but I was on the verge of having to say something to them. When the weather was boiling I was having to shut the windows to keep out the smell which would linger for ages otherwise. Even with the windows shut the smell would get in.

IMO the fact that they are vegan is irrelevant - you're creating a strong smell deliberately and very frequently when you don't need to. If you need to cook everything on the BBQ then maybe batch cook once a week. It would be as annoying as having someone smoking near your open window or playing loud music.

[Kirstysimone55]

I would perhaps bbq some really large stinky cabbages and take the story to the press .


And perhaps bbq a little less...

[ellesmum]

I would happily live next to someone who just barbecues! Instead, we have neighbours who smoke cannabis every time we set foot in the garden and light foul smelling incense within seconds of seeing me hanging out my washing, purely to antagonise & be a d*ck. No chance of mediating or reasoning with them, sadly. I personally love the smell of barbecuing meat, though, & join the dog in sniffing the air and wishing I could get my paws on it when those around us are having a barbecue!!

[Spenner]

I presume you don’t use it in the rain or on very blustery days when it’s unpleasant to be outside, OP - In other words, when it doesn’t suit you to cook outside, you cook something else or sacrifice your house smells? I think it’s only neighbourly to make a conscious effort to be considerate by limiting the amount of cooking outside. Fair enough about it being a gas BBQ and trying to limit the smell but I’m afraid you can’t stop it from going into their house, and vegan or not I think it’s a horrible thing to have to deal with all the time.

Politely, I have to say I think it’s nuts that your solution to cooking smells you dislike is to keep cooking the same things but outside! In London! There are loads of ways to improve ventilation and smells inside your house. This is like setting up an outdoor shower to use year round because you don’t like a steamy bathroom. Your garden sounds lovely, you sound lovely, but your neighbours are entitled to hope for consideration and I’d agree to limit my usage so you can enjoy a barbecue when you have one instead of knowing you’re upsetting people.