Two men drove 51 miles from Brighton to London carrying 50 litres of water labelled 'legal hose pipe water' to help gardeners affected by the hosepipe ban. The pair, George Lazarides, 30, and Joe Pattern, 27, distributed the water free of charge to around 100 London gardeners on August 10.
George and Joe, creative partners based in London, filled 25 two-litre bottles with water from a friend's hosepipe in Brighton, which is not subject to the ban. They then set up outside Croxted Road Garden Centre and Stockwell station, offering the water along with water-saving advice.
Statement Against Unfair Bans
George, who works in advertising, told Talk to the Press: "We saw that in London there is a hosepipe ban and in Brighton there is not, but the whole county is drought ridden. We wanted to make a point against the water companies on unfair bans and we also wanted to help Londoners and to try to ensure that they could look after their gardens and their green spaces properly."
He added: "It was partly a joke and partly trying to be helpful. It is strange one county has a hosepipe ban and another doesn't."
Distribution and Response
The duo drove to Brighton on Sunday evening, filled the bottles, and returned to London on Monday, distributing water to approximately 100 people. George noted the positive response: "We got a good response so we will definitely do it again. We knew that there was going to be another heatwave coming. And so we wanted to respond to that. When we spoke to people and gardeners they were saying how frustrated they were with the hosepipe ban."
Hosepipe Ban Context
Approximately 10 million households in London have been subject to a hosepipe ban since July 23, 2026, as the UK faces its fifth heatwave. Nine water companies have introduced hosepipe bans across the UK, affecting nearly 26 million people. The restrictions prohibit using hosepipes for watering gardens, washing cars, filling paddling pools or swimming pools, and cleaning windows.
Water companies enforce these measures to preserve supplies for drinking, vulnerable individuals, and essential purposes. Those who violate the regulations face fines of up to £1,000.
