An obscure 800-year-old dress code requiring women to seek the mayor's permission to remove their hats at official Thetford Town Council functions may soon be overturned. Newly-elected councillor Francesca Robinson called the rule 'demeaning', and the historic maxim will be discussed at a meeting next month.
Beyond this archaic dress code, there are other real rules in England that you may be breaking without realising. Section 54 of the Metropolitan Police Act bans carrying a plank along a London pavement unless unloading it from a vehicle. The ban extends to casks, tubs, hoops, wheels, ladders, poles, and placards, and even rolling a tub is prohibited. The law aims to prevent nuisance and ensure easy passage on public thoroughfares.
Residents of Westwood Park in Beverley, East Yorkshire, are subject to a restrictive covenant banning them from hanging washing or airing clothes outdoors. The covenant covers windows, balconies, roof terraces, communal gardens, and potentially even back gardens. Developers fitted every home with a washer-dryer to help enforce the rule, which aims to maintain the estate's appearance.
Frank Blades was billed £160 after spending an extra 20 minutes at his wife's graveside at Hannah Park Cemetery in Worksop, Nottingham in 2015. Bassetlaw District Council charged the funeral directors for gravediggers working beyond contracted hours, and the cost was passed on to Mr Blades. The council said it had not penalised Mr Blades directly and was surprised the charge was passed on.
Section 32 of the Salmon Act 1986 makes it illegal to handle a salmon in suspicious circumstances, aimed at selling fish gained through illicit means. The Polish Potatoes Order 2004 prohibits importing Polish potatoes into England unless written notice is given to an inspector at least two days in advance, due to ring rot outbreaks in Poland.
