People living in a Kent seaside town have blamed huge crowds of Londoners for leaving vast piles of rubbish after daytrips to the beach.
One local councillor said beauty spots like Botany Bay in Broadstairs suffered from a tourist industry that was more like “a branch of South London Social Services”.
Cllr Barry Manners said he wanted the local authority to do more to “manage the visitor economy”.
He said: “The tourist industry is supposed to generate wealth, jobs and all the rest of it for the local economy and instead, we've got a tourist industry that's a branch of South London Social Services.
“People come here for the day, they leave their rubbish on the beach, they get back in their cars, stop at McDonald’s drive-thrus, chuck their rubbish on the M2 and drive home.”
He said “Wembley” sized crowds were coming to an area that was “nationally significant” and “biodiverse”.
A spokesman for Thanet council said: “Thanet has 19 miles of beautiful coastline and the council, along with local partners and community groups, works hard all year round to ensure it’s in the best condition possible.
“During the peak summer season, the council puts extra resources into beach management, to plan for the increased demand on services. Measures include placing more rubbish and recycling bins along the coastline and deploying additional cleansing teams who work extended hours to tackle the demand.
“Education plays a key part in reminding people to take responsibility for their own waste and to respect the environment around them. Messages are shared, including on social media, throughout the summer, encouraging people to put rubbish into the bins provided, recycle it, or take it home with them if bins are full.”
