Gull cull by city firm
A cash and carry in Bath which was swamped by seagulls has employed a private pest control contractor to kill them.
Booker in Bellotts Road said it took action after residents had complained about the nuisance gulls and amid concern about hygiene issues.
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A spokeswoman for the firm said the majority of the birds driven out by the contractor were resettled but when a few returned they had to be culled.
She said: "Following feedback from local residents regarding nuisance seagulls and to maintain the highest standards of hygiene, Booker had a responsibility to deal with this significant issue.
"Booker employed a professional pest control contractor which resettled the majority of the gulls. However, a few came back which had to be culled."
The firm declined to say how the birds were culled.
Council chiefs in Bath have always said a more general cull would be unworkable - and could even put the authority foul of the law.
Bath and North East Somerset Council has used a number of techniques to tackle the airborne pests, such as coating eggs with mineral oil to stop chicks hatching, replacing eggs with plastic ones and flying a plastic hawk over rooftops during the breeding season.
The RSPB, which has now succeeded in getting herring gulls placed on the red list of creatures considered to be endangered or vulnerable, says councils such as B&NES should not be using legislation aimed at dealing with health hazards to tackle gulls, which the pressure group says are simply a nuisance.
Organisations are however allowed to take action against gulls under a section of law which is aimed at protecting people from health and safety hazards.
Referring to the Booker incident, a spokesman for the RSPB said: "The RSPB expects that the store in question, and any private contractors, have fully considered the situation and trialled non-lethal deterrents as a means of dealing with the issue before deciding on lethal control.
"However, we accept that, if non-lethal measures have been tried and found not to work, then the current legislation (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981) does allow landowners and other authorised persons to carry out lethal control on certain species, including herring gull, for certain reasons, including to preserve public health and safety.
"We assume that the store can demonstrate that lethal control of the gulls in question is necessary in order to preserve public health and safety because obviously the law does not permit control for reasons of noise or nuisance."
Cllr Steve Hedges (Lib Dem, Odd Down), who sits on the council's gull working group, said he was surprised and concerned that Booker had taken this action.
He said: "I am concerned that what they have done will show that this is okay - and what message will that give to the general public?
"It is a problem which the Government needs to look at with a bit more urgency."
Many of the problems caused by the birds relate to their attacks on bags of waste and the council is now planning a pilot scheme involving gull-proof hessian sacks in parts of the city centre.
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by Kirsten, Bath
Sunday, July 26 2009, 11:08AM
“There is a method of deterring gulls which involves stretching nylon wires across the streets. You don't need a lot - just enough to make it difficult for them to swoop down and up. It does not injure them, simply bothers them to the extent that they leave. Once the gulls have gone you can remove the wires. I did pass this idea on to Cllr Hedges, having been told by an American visitor how successful it was there, but nothing seems to have come of it.
There is another cause of the gulls being here. Incredible as it may seem, there are some deluded people out there who go to the trouble of feeding them regularly. I was in town one evening and saw the gulls all hanging around the High Street. It soon became evident why, as a little old man came down armed with bags and bags of bread to feed them. They were clearly expecting him. This sort of behaviour should attract a penalty as it now does in Bristol - up to £2500.”
by Val, Bath
Sunday, July 26 2009, 9:31AM
“I salute Bookers, well done, its about time someone from this town took a stand as we are over run by this aerial nuisance. I saw a guy step outside Greggs the Bakers, open his purchase to eat, then swoop, down came a Gull within an inch of his face for yet another free meal, a passer by commented " You nearly lost that one" It's about time B&NES took a leaf out of Bookers, book and rid the City of Bath of attacks, filth and terrible screeching”
by Trevor, Bear Flat
Saturday, July 25 2009, 8:17PM
“MESSAGE RECEIVED LOUD AND CLEAR CLLR HEDGES. A week after the Chronicle highlighted that the seagull population in Bath doubled between 2001 and 2007 the Chronicle reports Councillor Steve Hedges (Lid Dem ¿ member of the council working group) as wondering what message will the culling (by Booker) of some gulls in the Bellotts Rd area sends to the general public. I think the main message for the general public is that this private company is more in tune with public opinion than some (perhaps all) of our council members and that if Cllr Hedges is representative of the gull working group then it is no wonder that gull numbers are escalating out of control.
If Cllr Hedges thinks culling these pests is a bad thing then maybe he can stand on a pro-gull ticket at the next council election ¿ the electorate will undoubtedly send him a very clear message”
by JM, Bath
Saturday, July 25 2009, 12:58PM
“Looking at the alliterative headline, you have to hope they never do a piece on breeding mallards!”
by Robert, Bath
Friday, July 24 2009, 1:51PM
“I think the factories and warehouses by the tow path at Brassmill Lane could learn from Bookers.
I get fed walking along the tow path and getting divebombed by the wretched gulls. I've also been sat in the beer garden at The Dolphin pub and seen people (including young children) being attacked. The horrible creatures even swoop down on people sat at the tables in the beer garden.”