A hotelier says he's had enough of spending £1,000 per week clearing tons of sand away from the terrace of his hotel and has now accused his local council of failing to take action.
John Butterworth, who runs the beachside Sandbanks Hotel in Poole, Dorset, says the issue has gotten to the stage where there's now almost no distinction between where the hotel wall and the beach meet, with dogs said to be able to jump between the two with ease.
Staff members claim people have previously told them, "you're on a beach, deal with it", but they feel the council should bear some responsibility when it comes to keeping the terrace maintained.
John said: "We have been here as a family-run business for over 60 years and this hotel alone pays at least £4,000 in council tax a week. All we ask is that they clear the build-up of sand to stop it coming over - but they just won't.
"What annoys me is that we see council bulldozers come and clear the area by the public toilets when the sand blows over. So it seems to us that they'll clear the areas that benefit them, but not a local business. It's a disgrace."
Jo Clements, a colleague of John's, also believes the council needs to do more to help beachside businesses before the busy summer period begins.
She remarked: "I'm so angry, it's soul-destroying. This sets a very poor example to our visitors. This terrace is also used for a takeaway pizza facility for people on the beach, how are they supposed to reach it when the steps are buried in sand?
"People will say, 'you're on a beach, deal with it'. It's not about that, it's about the council not maintaining it."
Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Council has said that it isn't responsible for clearing sand away from hotel grounds, as it is only responsible for managing the beaches.
It says it has prioritised maintaining emergency vehicle access along the 12-mile promenade, however, the seafront team has cleared away sand at the front of the hotel.
A council spokesperson has made the following statement: "Whilst we look to undertake planned management of sand on the rest of the beach, storm events and other operational pressures - such as the recent Bay Run along the Prom - can result in us needing to adjust our schedule.
"We are aware of the Sandbanks Hotel's concerns about banked sand on the beach close to their terrace. Our seafront team have now been able to carry out the beach-clearing activity in this area, resulting in the removal of the bulk of sand in front of the hotel.
"Due to the caution required, so damage is not caused to the wall, there is likely to still be some build-up of sand remaining against the wall as the tractor cannot scrape along it."
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