We've issued a clear message to beachgoers heading to our iconic seafront to enjoy the sun this weekend – don’t leave your rubbish behind for others to clear up.
More than 11 million people visit the city each year, with the tourism and hospitality sector central to Brighton & Hove’s thriving local economy.
With temperatures forecast to be in the 20s this weekend, it will likely once again be a busy time on Brighton beach.
But while the city is happy to welcome so many people, the regular influx which accompanies hot weather does create challenges for us – and potential harm to the local environment.
Over the course of the recent May bank holiday weekend, thousands of people flocked to Brighton beach to enjoy the sun and scorching temperatures.
But while the majority of residents and visitors make use of the seafront bins, many do not.
The result meant that during the May bank holiday weekend more than 20 tonnes of rubbish was cleared from the seafront.
Our seafront is well-stocked with bins – including 54 which were refurbished ahead of last summer, when we also upped the number of seafront collection crews.
Teams in vans are also assigned to help clear side waste that gets left next to full bins.
However, those additional measures have not stopped the seafront from often being swamped with discarded rubbish at peak times, leaving us regularly faced with having to remove mammoth piles of waste throughout the warmer months.
Councillor Tim Rowkins, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Net Zero and Environmental Services at Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “As the UK’s sunniest city, we know that we’ll see huge numbers of people coming to Brighton & Hove when the weather is good. We don’t want that to change - it is part of what makes our city such a vibrant place.
“But the reality is that when we are left with so much rubbish on our seafront there is not only a cost to the council, but the potential for plastic and other waste to find its way into our marine environment.”
Councillors Rowkins added: “Brighton & Hove will always be a place where people are welcome, where people can come and enjoy themselves. It is what our city is known for and what makes it such an amazing place.
“We just ask that if people do visit our beach, they either use the bins provided to dispose of their rubbish or, if those bins are full, that they take their rubbish home with them.
“Nobody enjoys cleaning up after a party, but if everyone takes responsibility for their own waste, we can keep our seafront looking its iconic best.”