'Fed up' shop owners criticise lack of action over fly-tipping 'eyesore' on Northampton high street

“Fed up” shop owners on a Northampton high street have criticised the consistent levels of fly-tipping in the area.

Northampton Locksmiths owners Sharon Joynes and her father Alan say the rubbish outside the row of shops in Birchfield Road East, Abington has become an “eyesore”.

The pair said: "People are just getting fed up; it's an absolute eyesore out here. There's more stuff getting left everyday; customers don't want to come down here.

"A lot of the rubbish is coming from the flats above the shops. The landlords are supposed to make provision for them to store the rubbish and they are not doing it.

"You wouldn't want a black bin bag sitting in your flat for a week or more. I can appreciate why tenants are putting it out.

"We’re fed up of it. The Post Office is fed up. Residents are fed up. People don't want to come to the area.

"Veolia said it does not have the provision to collect bags - which it has had previously - so the bags are just being left."

Alan says he has been reporting the issues to West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) but has received little in the way of a response.

The 78-year old-said: "It's been nearly two weeks since it was first reported.

"It's obviously the council's responsibility. We'd like to see it cleaned on a regular basis. We don't want it happening."

Vita MacDonald, owner of McDonalds Flower House opposite Northampton Locksmiths, is also suffering from the fly tipping.

She said: "It's very smelly. It's full of insects and rats and foxes bite into it.

"It's not right. The flats need to know where they can dispose of their rubbish at the right collection points. If there is no bin, then it is not a collection point.

"The council are doing absolutely nothing, we've been reporting this everyday for the last three months and nothing has been done."

After Chronicle & Echo spoke to shop owners and raised the issue with WNC on Wednesday (May 25), the mess has since been cleared up.

A WNC spokesman said: “Our team of wardens are working with local residents, businesses and Veolia to help ensure that all stakeholders are aware of their responsibilities regarding their local environment and under the Environmental Protection Act.”