Beach rubbish spoiling resort

Beach rubbish spoiling resort

30 July 2014

DOWN Council has been heavily criticised for the state of Newcastle beach just days before over 100,000 visitors arrive in the resort for the district’s flagship tourist event.

The Festival of Flight takes off next Saturday, August 9, but before the arrival of the Red Arrows and a host of other aircraft, local politicians want the local authority to clean up its act and make sure the beach is tidy.

Last week’s soaring temperatures tempted thousands of people to make their way to the resort, but the rubbish left on the beach resulted in local politicians being flooded with complaints.

South Down MP Margaret Ritchie and councillor Patrick Clarke were both contacted by irate ratepayers concerned at the amount of rubbish strewn along a huge section of the beach, with areas at the Downs Road car park and Central Promenade reported as being particularly bad.

Miss Ritchie has called for the beach to be cleaned on a daily basis, while councillor Clarke said the dirty beach is becoming a “major embarrassment.”

Miss Ritchie — who inspected the beach herself —said it had been used by fly-tippers with a number of people also lighting fires in the sand.

“Down Council, the PSNI and the district’s Community Policing and Safety Partnership (CPSP) must take decisive action in collaboration with the Tourist Board and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to ensure the natural environmental quality of Newcastle is enhanced and protected,” the MP declared.

“They must ensure the beach is free from indiscriminate fly-tipping, litter and fires. It’s also important residents and tourists can use the beach, enjoy the tranquil beauty of Newcastle and sample the majestic Mournes without hindrance.”

Miss Ritchie urged Down Council to be “more determined” in its efforts to clean the beach on a more regular basis and ensure debris and litter are lifted daily. She said the PSNI must make every effort to ensure anti-social elements are not allowed to foster support in the area and that all steps are taken to drive out such behaviour.

Councillor Clarke said he agrees with the sentiments of a number of concerned people who contacted him, with one ratepayer describing the beach as akin to a “rubbish dump.”

He declared: “If nothing can be done during the few months of the peak holiday season to keep Newcastle beach as clean as possible then it’s not doing the image of the town any good. For the past three years I have continually raised the issue of litter on the beach and the need for it to be cleaned daily. Our dirty beach is becoming a major embarrassment.”

Councillor Clarke added: “No doubt with the forthcoming Festival of Flight and the Irish Open in 2015 the resources will be found by Down Council and the new super council to clean Newcastle beach. What is clear now is that the whole issue of cleansing the beach on a daily basis needs to be urgently addressed.”

A Down Council spokeswoman said the organisation considers Newcastle beach as a “valuable asset” which is a major attraction for visitors, with the resort attracting a considerable volume of visitors and local people to the beach, promenade and coastal areas.

“Down Council encourages responsible behaviour from users of the beach through a publicity campaign and well positioned signage about dog control and littering. The level of visitors is influenced heavily by the weather and last week the resort experienced a high volume of people on the main thoroughfares and beach over the entire week. Consequently, the level of litter generated was of a higher level,” said the spokeswoman.

She added: Down Council has a regular cleansing regime which includes a twice daily litter pick of the beach area which commences in the early afternoon, with a further sweep carried out in the evening. In addition to the cleansing regime, the Council employs seasonal enforcement officers who patrol the Newcastle area including the beach to detect littering offences.”