Ah, that's a surprise. The problem seemed tightly tied to that. I'll probe more deeply when I can but pal hasn't been in touch since - probably because it's good lotty weather.
For thems afar: a lotty is an Allotment, a patch of fertile ground, often provided by the local council, where sheds are built for the purpose of carrying out strange activities. Some even have a couch, candles and curtains. In spare moments, the allotment holders even grow a few things.