# Stowmarket Dump - Photography in public place banned by council staff!



## stowpirate (Apr 7, 2012)

Stowmarket Dump! They start jumping up and down if you take photographs in a public place on the adjacent pavement! One of the workers even came out and threatened me with physical violence!! It is on one of my dog walks and I always take a camera with me. Twice now they have come out on the pavement and told me to stop taking photographs. Could be an interesting basis for an article about photographers rights?


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## BlueSquareThing (Apr 7, 2012)

I'd try it out in Beccles to see if it's county council policy but the twits closed the dump (with the obvious increase in fly tipping). Maybe I need to take lots of fly tipping shots thinking about it...


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## Belushi (Apr 7, 2012)

There they hard at work and some oddball with a dog turns up everyday and starts taking photos of them


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## FridgeMagnet (Apr 7, 2012)

I'm having trouble working out why someone working at a dump would give a fuck about anybody taking a picture of it.


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## Blagsta (Apr 7, 2012)

They don't want people seeing what a dump it is.


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## killer b (Apr 7, 2012)

A worthy muse for an artist, no question.


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## killer b (Apr 7, 2012)

Anyway, they probably just don't want any pictures to be taken of them stashing the good stuff in the corner to take home later - its doubtless banned. They probably think you're a council snoop.


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## two sheds (Apr 7, 2012)

Video it so you can go viral with having the shit kicked out of you by one of their employees


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## stowpirate (Apr 7, 2012)

Belushi said:


> There they hard at work and some oddball with a dog turns up everyday and starts taking photos of them


 
I have only ever stopped twice to take photos and on both occasions they came out and had a go at me! Yes I walk past the dump about two/three times a week so possibly the only person they ever see outside the dump


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## stowpirate (Apr 7, 2012)

FridgeMagnet said:


> I'm having trouble working out why someone working at a dump would give a fuck about anybody taking a picture of it.


 
I think I might just fire off an email or two to there bosses with attached photos asking why I was threatened and see what response I get.


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## FridgeMagnet (Apr 7, 2012)

killer b said:


> Anyway, they probably just don't want any pictures to be taken of them stashing the good stuff in the corner to take home later - its doubtless banned. They probably think you're a council snoop.


That or the human sacrifices.


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## Mr Smin (Apr 7, 2012)

stowpirate said:


> I think I might just fire off an email or two to there bosses with attached photos asking why I was threatened and see what response I get.


Would you consider complaining to the police as you were threatened with violence?


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## weltweit (Apr 7, 2012)

Mr Smin said:


> Would you consider complaining to the police as you were threatened with violence?


 
This ^^


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## stowpirate (Apr 7, 2012)

weltweit said:


> This ^^


 
Trouble is it was my word against his and was words not actions. It will all be on CCTV but no voice recording.  I think an email to the local council with a cc copy to the Police would be more appropriate action.


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## weltweit (Apr 7, 2012)

stowpirate said:


> Trouble is it was my word against his and was words not actions. It will all be on CCTV but no voice recording. I think an email to the local council with a cc copy to the Police would be more appropriate action.


 
Perhaps copy to the local paper also.


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## editor (Apr 7, 2012)

Next time you go, video the confrontation.


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## Mr Smin (Apr 7, 2012)

stowpirate said:


> Trouble is it was my word against his and was words not actions.


Thought that might be the case.
I'd consider having a concealed video device and carrying on with my normal stroll - if they threaten you again then you have some evidence. But mostly I'd probably just stop taking photos of the dump because although they are clearly dicks, if you escalate this then they could get fired (which is fine) and later attack you (not fine).
e2a: Editor beat me to it.


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## ViolentPanda (Apr 7, 2012)

FridgeMagnet said:


> I'm having trouble working out why someone working at a dump would give a fuck about anybody taking a picture of it.


 
To be fair, if you've ever seen a pic of stowpirate, he looks like a terrorist. They're probably worried that he's casing the dump and taking pics so he can decide where to crash his artic loaded with ANFO for best effect, so it burns all the recyclables.

That's the sort of evil terrorist bastard he is.


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## ViolentPanda (Apr 7, 2012)

FridgeMagnet said:


> That or the human sacrifices.


 
Well, it *is* Suffolk, isn't it?


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## Mr Moose (Apr 7, 2012)

What is it about the dump that has attracted the repeated attention of your lens? There may be one or two of us who might not consider Stowmarket Dump the most photogenic of locations - but that may be ignorance on my part.


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## Mr Moose (Apr 7, 2012)

editor said:


> Next time you go, video the confrontation.


 
Yes. That'll calm things nicely.


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## FridgeMagnet (Apr 7, 2012)

Audio recorder in a pocket.


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## twentythreedom (Apr 7, 2012)

ime the bods that work at council tips are always up to all manner of dodgy schemes / scams...


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## editor (Apr 7, 2012)

Mr Moose said:


> Yes. That'll calm things nicely.


You wouldn't have to wave the camera around. You could use your mobile's video recorder and have it sticking out of your shirt pocket.


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## stowpirate (Apr 7, 2012)

Mr Moose said:


> What is it about the dump that has attracted the repeated attention of your lens? There may be one or two of us who might not consider Stowmarket Dump the most photogenic of locations - but that may be ignorance on my part.


 
Photographing traffic on the slip road to the A14 and maybe a line of cars at the dump with there hatchbacks open - boring mundane stuff really. Never really managed to point my lens in the right direction yet


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## Greebo (Apr 8, 2012)

stowpirate said:


> <snip>Never really managed to point my lens in the right direction yet


Yet another photo which got away


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## two sheds (Apr 8, 2012)

If it's a privately owned dump, then they may be concerned about industrial espionage. Photos of their site might give competitors an idea of their processing equipment, procedures and throughput and hence an unfair advantage when it comes to future contracts .


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## stowpirate (Apr 8, 2012)

two sheds said:


> If it's a privately owned dump, then they may be concerned about industrial espionage. Photos of their site might give competitors an idea of their processing equipment, procedures and throughput and hence an unfair advantage when it comes to future contracts .


 
It is a Council run recycling/dump. You would think people would be more concerned with me photographing sleepy Stowmarket Station, Sizewell Nuclear Power Plant and my attempts at trying to get a picture of a Police/Emergency vehicles in motion! I think I will take the editors advice and set up a tripod/camera and take some traffic photos in the vicinity and see what happens!


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## Mrs Magpie (Apr 8, 2012)

ViolentPanda said:


> To be fair, if you've ever seen a pic of stowpirate, he looks like a terrorist.


 I thought stowpirate was a gurl


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## Pickman's model (Apr 8, 2012)

Mrs Magpie said:


> I thought stowpirate was a gurl


haha


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## sim667 (Apr 14, 2012)

Yeah you need to film it, ask them why, and under what laws are you not allowed to photograph from the pavement (which i assume is public).


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## ViolentPanda (Apr 14, 2012)

sim667 said:


> Yeah you need to film it, ask them why, and under what laws are you not allowed to photograph from the pavement (which i assume is public).


 
A lot of companies try to pull the old _schtick_ about the pavement being part of their property, but it isn't. By definition a pavement or path contiguous with any other public pavement is a public right-of-way unless otherwise marked.


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## Citizen66 (Apr 14, 2012)

stowpirate said:


> Trouble is it was my word against his and was words not actions. It will all be on CCTV but no voice recording.  I think an email to the local council with a cc copy to the Police would be more appropriate action.



You can still make a complaint. No need to relish the idea of a custodial sentence.


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