The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Seaweed ‘slurry’ plagues beachgoers
Rotting seaweed on an Arbroath beach is putting off families trying to enjoy a staycation in the seaside town.
SNP councillor Brenda Durno has called for improvements on West Links Beach in Arbroath to guarantee “a more pleasant experience” for families holidaying locally.
She said the large amount of “pungent” seaweed rotting near to the children’s playpark should be cleared as soon as possible.
The Arbroath councillor is also calling for the installation of a tap to ensure better hygiene for beach users, including dog walkers.
She said: “The seaweed is really stinking. It is thick, like slurry. It normally smells bad but is usually washed away.
“I’ve asked environmental health officers to check it out.
“So many more people are now using the beach that I’ve been getting complaints about it.
“There have been a lot more people, including dog walkers, at the beach with lockdown and we need to do more to ensure a more pleasant experience for everyone.”
West Links is the main beach next to Arbroath. It is a well-known visitor attraction with children’s playpark and Scotland’s oldest miniature railway all situated close to the coast.
Ms Durno said adding more basic facilities would help visitors and locals who use the area regularly.
“I have asked council officers to provide a water tap at the play area for persons to wash sand off like you do abroad and they have said they’re looking into that,” she said.
“The tap could also provide drinking water and help with washing dogs before they go home.”
She said council officers had committed to investigating the “stinking” smell coming from the seaweed and into finding the right location for a beach tap.
An Angus Council spokeswoman said the local authority did not wish to comment on the rotting seaweed or calls for extra facilities until they had been in touch with Ms Durno.