21 April 2023 , 09:20
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A famous beauty spot is being turned into an "eyesore" claim locals due to it being littered with everything from bottles, underwear to drugs.
Tourists and locals head to Plymouth Hoe especially on warm days but images show rubbish piled high, reported PlymouthLive.
Broken glass, cans, discarded underwear, and drug paraphernalia are among the items regularly found in and around Tinside.
One local added that there are a number of people who get drunk, smash bottles and defecate over the area.
This is despite the area being a designated alcohol free zone, as a Public Space Protection Order is in place on the Hoe and the Barbican.
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Locals have said that Plymouth Hoe has become an "eyesore" (PLymouth Live)Plymouth City Council's street cleaners face the challenge of keeping up with the rubbish left lying around.
Nicky Hammett, who runs a business on the Hoe said: "The worst thing is the bottles and the cans from where they've been drinking and just left all their stuff up there. It's happening in the evenings, on a really busy sunny day or a bank holiday, it gets really bad then and then the rubbish stacks up and the seagulls get at it.
"It's horrible. Peak season and in tourist areas there should be more frequent rubbish collections, especially during bank holidays. It does get bad but they do clean it up really well when the cleaners come. Someone should be put on patrol as they shouldn't be drinking on The Hoe anyway. It's not a nice area to visit in the evening if there's lots of people drinking there."
One local man, who swims in the early mornings off Tinside beach or the Lion's Den, is fed up of seeing littering from people drinking and eating takeaways the night before.
Plymouth Hoe is a famous beauty spot on the south coast (SWNS)Rob said: "It is an eyesore before the cleaners get to it, and there's the added concern of much of that rubbish blowing into the sea, affecting wildlife and sea life as well as humans. We've all spotted items of rubbish floating around in seawater at times, it's not a pleasant sight and can be harmful to the environment.
"I am an avid sea swimmer and myself and one or two others are constantly, daily, filling bags of broken wine and spirit glass, fast food detritus, cans, discarded underwear, drugs, drug paraphernalia and often sanitary items from Tinside beach, the rocks, Lion's Den and the areas around the west side of the Tinside pool.
"I really don't want to stop people from enjoying themselves but there are a number of people who get drunk, smash bottles and defecate over the area regularly which needs to be stopped. After the death of the young man from Newton Abbot last year, a flower posy was left tied to a post at the Lion's Den in his memory, this was destroyed within 24 hours as was its replacement."
He commended the street cleaners for doing a 'thankless but amazing job' in trying to keep the Hoe area clean.
He added: "I have nothing but praise for the two litter pickers from the council who clean the area, especially one who goes over and above by clambering over the rocks collecting cans, bottles and other rubbish regularly.
"I totally understand the financial pressures the council is under, however, investment in deterrence and prevention will bring huge benefits in income to the city, rather than just constantly clearing up."
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A Plymouth City Council spokesperson reportedly said: "There is absolutely no excuse for littering. There are over 200 bins across the city centre, Hoe and Barbican, which are emptied every day up to two or three times a day especially over bank holidays, and the summer period.
"If you can't immediately see a bin or the bin nearest to you happens to be full, keep your rubbish with you and take it home."