Fury in UK's 'loveliest village' given brutal nickname as locals embroiled in bin row
With Cornish seagulls leaving their mark, residents and businesses in this little village in Cornwall are furious that their town has lost its pretty reputation
Once described as “the loveliest village in England” by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, Mousehole, a coastal village in Cornwall, has recently found itself embroiled in a dispute with Cornwall Council over the failure to remove pilling green rubbish bins.
Unused bins have been accumulating on the streets of Mousehole, resulting in the Cornish community expressing their frustration. These green waste bins, now covered in bird muck, have left an “ugly” mark on the community, tarnishing their reputation as the “the prettiest place in Cornwall”.
The issue began earlier this year after Cornwall Council introduced new grey waste bins, and promised fortnightly collection.
While Mousehole residents received their new bins, the old green bins were not removed, leaving them cluttering the picturesque streets.
Residents and businesses are “furious” about the council’s lack of action, with some now referring to their village as “binhole”. They have complained that their quaint Cornish homes are now marred by seagull poo-covered bins.
Officials report that over 10,000 requests have been made for the removal of old bins.
Local Kim Hambletold shared with Cornwall Live: ''I call our village 'binhole' now. There are bins everywhere. It's absolutely disgusting.''
Another added: ''The bin situation has turned our beautiful seaside village into an eyesore.
''There are lots of people who come on holiday here and no one wants to see piles of bins.
''Our streets are very narrow and there is hardly room for 1 bin, let alone an extra one.”
One frustrated local suggested dropping the bins “off at the council offices” as a form of protest.
There are also concerns about the safety implications of the bins obstructing narrow streets, with residents questioning how emergency services would navigate the village in an event of a crisis, especially because there are many elderly residents in the village.
Cornwall Council have acknowledged the issue and assured Mousehole locals that action is being taken.
A spokesperson for Cornwall Council stated: "Our contractor has already started clearing the bins that households have asked us to collect.
''Due to the high number of bins in the area, this will take several weeks to complete.
''Anyone that signed up to the collection service, will receive a text on the Sunday before their bin is due to be collected so they know to leave it out.
"We encourage households to repurpose their old bins – as garden storage perhaps, or a water butt – or donate them to a community group that can make use of it.
''Households that did not sign up to the collection service and do not want to keep their bin can take it to their local Household Waste and Recycling Centre."
