Traders' anger as louts abuse shopping centre (From Stroud News and Journal)

Traders' anger as louts abuse shopping centre

ANGRY shopkeepers have hit out at louts who use the entrance to Merrywalks shopping centre as a toilet.

Traders say late night revellers vomit and urinate in the passageway, and are calling for more to be done to clear away the mess.

The owners of the three shops situated there - Eclipse, Dolly Birds and Chris' Shed - say shoppers are put off.

Sid Copp who runs clothes shop Eclipse, said yobs regularly relieve themselves against his shop.

But it's not all human beings who are at fault - pigeon mess is also a problem.

Now he says urgent action is needed to improve the cleaning routine.

"I pay a lot of money for rates for this shop and the floor outside is absolutely disgusting," he said.

"There is a sick stain that is six months old right outside our door."

Although it is swept and the litter is picked up, it is not washed down.

Mr Copp says this means it smells - especially in the hot summer months - and the mess ends up being swept into the ground.

Alison Martyr, who owns Dolly Birds, agrees.

"It smells really bad and customers often complain about it," she said.

"In my first week here, there was sick all down the wall - it's not setting a very good example.

"We pay enough to the council for it to clean it on a regular basis."

Chris Reay, who runs Chris' Shed, said: "It's absolutely horrendous, my toilet is cleaner than this.

"The worst thing is when people throw up and pee on our shop windows."

Although the shops form part of the Merrywalks centre, the passageway is actually the responsibility of the county highways department.

But Merrywalks staff sweep it and remove litter as a courtesy.

Lisa Samak, of the environmental contracts department at Stroud District Council, which is responsible for cleaning roads, said the authority had not previously realised the passageway was its responsibility.

However, she added that the council would still only sweep and litter pick the area, and not wash it down as it is not required to do so by statute.