Beachgoers in a froth at threat of bottle ban

BEACHGOERS having a picnic and a glass of wine could face fines of up to £100 under a proposal to ban bottles and barbecues on one seafront.

Residents and businesses in the seaside town of Whitstable, Kent, have expressed dismay over Canterbury city council’s plans for a blanket ban along the coastline.

The rules, said to be necessary for health and safety, are aimed at curbing anti-social behaviour and could come into force by the end of July.

In the form of public space protection orders (PSPOS) the rules would ban glass bottles on any beach in the “Whitstable and Herne Bay Coastal Zone”, unless being carried in transit. The lighting and discarding of disposable barbecues on the seafront would also be outlawed. Fixed-penalty notices of up to £100 could be issued to those contravening the rules.

Enforcement of the proposed rules would be carried out by “council officials and external staff ”, prompting residents to voice concerns that “beach wardens” would be incentivised to hand out fines to seemingly law-abiding picnickers.

Marilyn Richards, a member of Tankerton Bay Beach Hut Association, said she worried that “if you give carte blanche to an external agency that is keen to make money, before you know it you won’t be able to do anything without being fined”.

Ashley Clark, a Conservative councillor who is leading the charge for reform, said the new rules are not an attempt to “kill fun”, but a bid to stop “beaches being covered in glass”. Mr Clark added: “We’ve had numerous complaints from people who try to walk on the beach and find broken glass all over the place.”

A six-week consultation on the use of PSPOS opened in March.

‘We’ve had complaints from people who try to walk on the beach and find broken glass all over the place’