Littering gulls make a mess of the streets in Aberystwyth weekly, and a mass call has come for the council to address this problem once and for all.

The man behind watersports company AberOutdoors, which organises monthly litter picks, has called for decisive action from Ceredigion County Council, echoed by hundreds of concerned residents.

Photos show the gulls' handiwork laid bare - every week on bin day, before the trucks trawl the streets, the gulls and other wildlife attack the bags of rubbish left next to bins from residents and businesses for collection.

Business owner Jack Potts-Edwards said it's not just the gulls - residents have an equal part to play in the litter problem.
Business owner Jack Potts-Edwards said it's not just the gulls - residents have an equal part to play in the litter problem. (Aber Outdoors)

This state is left for council workers to clean up, but AberOutdoors owner Jack Potts-Edwards said it's not good enough: “I want to get loud on this. It needs urgent attention from our council today. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month, now.

“I want answers. I want to know why we don’t have measures in place to stop this happening. Every week, week in, week out. When did it get this bad and why?”

The business owner said the council workers do a “great job” in tidying up every week, but that they “shouldn’t have to”: “They should be looking at ways to help alleviate the issue. The seagulls won’t be going anywhere so the county council must look at solutions to this problem.”

He said the frustration should not be towards the workers on the ground, but the council who have the power to change things: “[Waste management workers] Ivor, Josh, Glen and the others who are employed to tackle such issues like this do a great job; there are simply less staff now.

Jack Potts-Edwards (left), and some of the bags he filled on 14 July (right).
Jack Potts-Edwards (left), and some of the bags he filled on 14 July (right). (Aber Outdoors)

“Aberystwyth deserves better, and there are plenty of people trying, but life could be made a whole lot easier with a bit of help from Ceredigion County Council.”

Another concern raised is the strong winds which risk blowing the free litter onto the beach and sea.

Jack posted a call to action on his business’ Facebook page, gaining 856 likes from the town of 15,000.

Though the council could provide gull-proof bags and bins, Jack said town residents should take as much responsibility as the gulls: “Residents are also to blame - some aren’t disposing of their waste responsibly, for example, putting the incorrect waste in the incorrect bags and then putting those bags out on whatever day suits them.

“The county council needs to look at enforcing stricter measures.”

This has been a long-term issue for the town, but the council have yet to find a solution that sticks.
This has been a long-term issue for the town, but the council have yet to find a solution that sticks. (Aber Outdoors)

Ceredigion issued large seagull-proof bin bags to certain streets across the town in 2019, but those bags are either no longer in use or not effective.

Commenters described the council as “losing interest in looking after our town”, with others asking why large lidded bins aren’t provided like in other cities and countries.

One concerned resident wrote: “I've reported these issues to the council, only to be told there is no funding available for rural areas.

“Yet if the council can afford to purchase a £1.8 million farm in Lampeter, surely it can afford to invest in keeping Aberystwyth and the surrounding communities clean, safe and well maintained. Perhaps it's time for local people to start holding the council to account.”

Ceredigion CEO Eifion Evans recently got a pay rise of £5,000, now earning £151,529 a year.

Another commenter praised the “amazing job” AberOutdoors do, the business recently becoming a litter picking hub through Keep Wales Tidy which allows volunteers to access equipment from the hub whenever they like. Jack spent bin-day on 14 July picking up the strewn litter, spending most of a day collecting more than seven bags' worth.

The commenter however, stated, “we shouldn’t have to rely on the goodwill of wonderful people”.

Aberystwyth Town Mayor Emlyn Jones praised those active in addressing this issue, and instructed residents who were impacted to contact the town council to be provided with seagull-proof bags.

He added: “Aberystwyth is a town we are proud of, and keeping it clean is a shared responsibility; we need all residents' help in achieving this."

A spokesperson from Ceredigion County Council offered their apologies and described the situation as “frustrating” for all involved.

They plan to return to using large food waste bins on North Parade, adding that putting bins out just before collection at 8am will help: “It is important to recognise that keeping Aberystwyth clean is a shared responsibility.

“While the council will continue to review its arrangements and provide services, residents also play a vital role by presenting their waste correctly (right waste, right way, right day), using the appropriate containers, and ensuring bags are not left out in a way that can be easily accessed by birds or other animals.

“We also recognise the particular challenges in Aberystwyth, and this is taken into consideration in route scheduling, and in the case of North Parade, it is one of the first pick-ups.”