UK Seaside Town’s Locals Furious Over Dog Mess and Declining Image
Residents of a UK seaside town express outrage over dog mess and graffiti, claiming it’s ruining their community’s charm and reputation.
Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, Dog Mess, Seaside Town, Community Issues
Burnham-on-Sea: The locals are really upset about the state of their town. Earlier this year, they voiced their frustrations over dog mess and graffiti making the place feel like a ghost town.
In a survey by Which?, Burnham-on-Sea was named one of the worst seaside towns in Britain, scoring just 49 percent from visitors. The sea quality got the lowest score possible, which didn’t surprise the residents.
People in the town pointed out that the amount of dog mess in public areas was a major issue, even though dogs aren’t allowed on the beach during summer. One young guy waiting for a bus saw a kid trip and fall right into it, which is just gross.
He mentioned how hard it is to avoid stepping in it, and it’s not just kids—adults are getting caught in it too. It’s really unhygienic, and many dog owners just leave the mess behind instead of cleaning it up.
To tackle the problem, Somerset Council tried circling the dog mess with bright orange paint to shame the owners. But some locals thought that was a silly idea. One person said it probably takes just as long to spray paint around it as it would to pick it up and throw it in a bin.
They were frustrated, saying if someone can’t be bothered to clean up after their dog, they won’t care about some orange paint around it. It’s just irresponsible, and it’s dragging the town down.
Visitors like Sarah and Jill found their day in Burnham-on-Sea “bearable” but said a whole day would be too much. They felt the pier really needs some care.
On the flip side, some visitors had nice things to say. One TripAdvisor reviewer praised a staff member named Mark for his excellent service at the pier pavilion. They felt the team was lovely and helpful.
Another reviewer mentioned the arcade had great new prizes, and a third person called the town “delightful,” highlighting the beautiful beach and lighthouse.
In response to the complaints, a council spokesperson reminded everyone that it’s every dog owner’s responsibility to clean up after their pets. They said the dog bins are emptied daily and that they regularly patrol the area to catch irresponsible owners.
The council is looking into ways to improve the town’s condition, and the current owners of the pier haven’t commented yet.