Thames Water have changed their information regarding the hosepipe ban.
The changes appear to allow the use of hosepipes to water food being grown – but not flowers – where no other means of watering is reasonably possible.
Specifically, their website now includes the following additions:
What changes have we made?
“We’ve received a number of helpful comments and queries since we first announced the restrictions. As a result, we’ve made changes which mean you can:
Use a hosepipe on an allotment – but not in a garden – to water food being grown there, where essential.
https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/water-restrictions
and also states:
The following additional exceptions to the prohibition are now included:
Watering food crops on allotments
Allotment holders shall be able to water their food crops (but not other plants and flowers) with a hosepipe, where no other means of watering is reasonably possible.
https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/water-restrictions/legal-notice