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Illegal waste dumping turning chip shop car park into a disaster zone

Waste dumped behind a fish and chip shop is posing a health risk and putting off customers, according to the restaurant's owner.

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Pam Vowles, the owner of FryDays in Hamstead Road, Great Barr, believes residents living nearby were leaving their rubbish in bin liners and dropping it at the back, which could potentially endanger health because rotting food was among the waste.

She believes potential customers are being put off visiting her restaurant by the situation.

She added although shops in her row, which included her chip shop, a Chinese restaurant, a hairdressers and a funeral directors, had trade waste bins, the residents had not been provided with any bins, even though they had contacted the council asking to have them. She said: "It is a nice area, but people have spoiled it by leaving the rubbish and I have tried to build my fish and chip shop up a bit, but when you look at the back and you go in the car park, it is a total disaster."

The FryDays fish and chip shop in Great Barr

Waste items left behind the shop include beds, mattresses, oil drums and nappies, as well as cardboard boxes and Chinese food.

Miss Vowles said staff from Sandwell Council had periodically visited to clear away the rubbish, but the problem had arisen again because of a lack of provision of bins for the residents.

The difficulties with waste had happened on and off for the seven years she had the restaurant, but she said they had become particularly acute in the last three months.

However, councillor Ian Jones, cabinet member for jobs and economy, said: "Tenants and residents of the shops and flats served by the access area have been reminded on numerous occasions about disposing of waste correctly and parking responsibly.

"Our waste team were again going out to collect dumped rubbish over the weekend and a letter from the council has been sent to the residents and tenants of the shops to remind them of their responsibilities.

"We have reminded tenants, who all have keys to the gates, to lock them when they are not in use to prevent problem parking.

"If the problems continue, we will take action against those who are responsible."

Councillor David Hosell said: "I was not aware of the problem but I will definitely make some enquiries with the intention of getting this resolved.

"I would like to think people have more sense than this. If the problem is very severe and is more like fly-tipping then something must be done. I will look into it and ensure the matter is resolved."

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