Cambridge college's Grantchester swim ban sparks petition

The River Cam at Granchester Meadows is open to the public but owned by King's College Cambridge

A university college that banned swimming at a beauty spot said it hoped to "find a solution" after a petition gained 10,000 signatures in two days.

King's College Cambridge said Granchester Meadows, which it owns, was being frequented by "large gatherings entering the river Cam" after drinking.

An online petition has called for a public consultation.

The college said it recognised conscientious users of the river had been "unfairly affected".

Granchester Meadows is a popular stretch of the river just outside Cambridge, and was famously beloved by writers Rupert Brooke and Virginia Woolf, who both swam there, and Pink Floyd, who wrote a song about it.

On Thursday, when the new signs were put up, the college said use of the river under the influence of alcohol or drugs "causes significant problems for the emergency services, but also brings with it a serious risk to life".

The Cam at Grantchester Meadows (pictured in 1960), between Cambridge and Grantchester, is popular with walkers and water-users

It also banned watercraft, stating that there had been a "large number of reports" of users blocking roadways and drives, being rude to local residents and discarding their punctured vessels.

"We fully appreciate that swimming in the Cam is a popular activity and has numerous benefits for physical and mental health," it said.

"Nevertheless, we cannot in good conscience give our consent to these activities continuing as they currently are, with the evident dangers they pose to life, the consequences they have for others, and the damage they are causing to the physical integrity of the Meadows."

'Environmentally harmful behaviour'

The online petition, which has exceeded 17,000 signatures, said the meadow was "one of the greatest areas of natural beauty lying within easy reach for city residents".

It called for a public consultation to "discuss workable solutions that meet the environmental, community and landowner needs without the need for stringent measures".

In its latest statement, King's College said it had listened to people's views and recognised the restrictions "would adversely and unfairly affect the many conscientious users of the river".

"It is our sincere wish to enable safe access to the river while fulfilling the college's responsibility to try to deter dangerous, antisocial, or environmentally harmful behaviour," it added.

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It said it would consult with Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridge City Council to try to find a solution.

Camilla Ilsley, of Cambridge, who started the petition, called it a "step in the right direction".

"They have not yet said what they plan to do and have not committed to any reversal of their decision, therefore the petition will continue to run for now," she added.