Beach cafe says damage and litter 'unmanageable'

1 hour ago

News image — Dominik Smajda said damage and litter were having a significant impact on the business

BBC Dominik Smajda is wearing a green T-shirt and is pictured on the beach with the cafe and picnic benches visible behind him. He has short buzzed hair and is wearing sunglasses. — Dominik Smajda said damage and litter were having a significant impact on the business

The owner of a beach cafe on the east coast has called for "behavioural change" following issues with litter and damage.

Dominik Smajda, who runs The Hungry Whale at Long Beach in Grouville, said the ongoing problems were "becoming unmanageable".

He said the cafe's picnic benches have frequently been dragged down the beach and scorched by people using them as a base for barbecues.

"If only everyone could respect their surroundings and treat them as their own," Smajda added.

A picture of a picnic bench that is in a state of disrepair. There is a large burnt scorch mark on the table from a barbecue. — Smajda said ongoing problems with people moving benches and leaving rubbish behind were "becoming unmanageable"

Smajda said the team did not lock benches away so passers-by and dog walkers could use them when the cafe was closed.

He said staff were having to find and retrieve them each morning, which "isn't the nicest or easiest thing to do", and that it "took away from time they could be using to prepare the cafe for customers".

An online video posted by the Hungry Whale showed rubbish strewn across the sand and remnants of a disposable barbecue on a picnic table.

A picture of the beach cafe in Grouville in a port-a-cabin style building. Some picnic benches with umbrellas are pictured alongside on the sand. — Smajda said he wished people would respect their surroundings

Smajda said "the easiest and cheapest solution would be behavioural change".

"If only everyone could respect the surroundings and treat it as their own, which we're trying to do on the beach because we're a public space.

"We don't want to lock things away," he added.

Parish constable Mark Labey said the cafe owner should "consider securing his items away from temptation" since the Honorary Police were "stretched thinly".

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