Residents of a UK seaside town express frustration over dog waste and declining conditions, calling for urgent action to restore its charm
Burnham-on-Sea: Locals are really upset about the state of their town. Earlier this year, they complained about dog mess and graffiti ruining the place. They feel it’s turning into a ghost town.
In August, a survey by Which? named Burnham-on-Sea one of the worst seaside towns in Britain. It got a low visitor score of just 49 percent and the worst rating for sea quality.
Residents weren’t shocked by the results. They’ve been saying for a while that the town’s image is pretty grim. The amount of dog waste in public areas is a big issue, even with pets banned from the beach in summer.
One young guy, who works at a vape shop, shared a story about a kid tripping and landing in dog poo while waiting for a bus. He said it’s everywhere, making it hard to avoid. It’s just gross.
Instead of cleaning up after their dogs, many owners are leaving the mess behind. The local council even tried to shame them by circling the dog waste with bright orange paint. But that didn’t sit well with everyone.
One local pointed out that it probably takes just as long to spray paint around the mess as it would to pick it up. They called the policy ridiculous, saying irresponsible owners won’t care about orange paint.
Sarah Butler-Mills and Jill Harper visited in August and found the town “bearable” for a short trip but wouldn’t want to spend a whole day there. They thought the pier really needed 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 welcomed and appreciated the team’s effort.
Another visitor enjoyed the new arcade prizes and noted how busy it was. A third person described the town as “delightful,” highlighting the beautiful beach and lighthouse.
In response to the complaints, a council spokesperson reminded everyone that dog owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets. They mentioned that dog bins are emptied daily and that they actively patrol the area to catch irresponsible owners.
The council is looking into ways to improve the town’s condition. However, they couldn’t reach the current owners of the pier for comments right away.
