Benches removed from bay

Eric Baxter • Published 18 Jul 2011 12:00 32 Comments

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BEAUTY SPOT SPOILED: David Wilson has slammed vandals after park bosses were forced to remove picnic benches.

TOURISM at Inverclyde's 'jewel in the crown' could be hit by mindless vandals, a councillor warned today.

David Wilson was commenting on a decision to remove benches from Lunderston Bay because of persistent vandalism.

He condemned the 'mindless destruction', which follows similar vandalism last year.

The decision to remove the benches was taken by Charlie Woodward, manager of Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, which includes Lunderston Bay.

Mr Woodward said the vandalism at Lunderston Bay was worse than in any other area of the park.

He said: "Of the sites managed by the park authority, this has the most anti-social behaviour, including vandalism.

"Following years of vandalism and abuse requiring repair and replacement, I have decided to remove the wooden/concrete picnic benches from the grassy area at Lunderston Bay.

"I do not intend to repair and replace the benches, nor to install any other type at this time. The provision of benches is unsustainable."

Councillor Wilson, who is vice chairman of the regional park, said: "I abhor the mindless destruction. This regrettable vandalism has been constant at what is really Inverclyde's tourism jewel in the crown.

"People come to Lunderston Bay from all over the west of Scotland.

"I fear some may be put off going there if there is no seating available, but I fully support Charlie's decision in the light of this persistent anti-social behaviour which is spoiling this beautiful area for the majority of people."

He said it was difficult to police the area, especially if the vandalism was occurring in the middle of the night.

Mr Woodward added: "On a more positive note, we have committed resources to the children's playground at Lunderston Bay, although again abuse is frequent there.

"We have an ongoing regime of inspection, maintenance and repair."

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 18 Jul 11

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billyboy3112
3 posts
Jul 18, 12:12
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the usual numbnuts spoiling it for the decent members of society, yet again.

Recommend? Yes 28 No 0
askelvis
456 posts
Jul 18, 12:44
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At the same time roll the grass up too. Just incase. More gourock yobs tut tut

Recommend? Yes 11 No 16
grandad
58 posts
Jul 18, 12:47
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yet again another of the spots i visit every year getting trashed by scumbags what the hell is there going to be any where left to go and take the kids if this keeps up the only place i will be able to go is the green oak and kids accross the water to dunoon kilgreggin etc

as theres none of the parks and some sights left around greenock any more ie wellpark etc

Recommend? Yes 12 No 0
DavidK
61 posts
Jul 18, 14:59
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The thing is they get away with it, they have won ... if we had stronger deterrents then maybe these complete clowns would think twice.

Why oh why do we let these people win?

It's a complete disgrace.

Recommend? Yes 26 No 0
gdsanders
59 posts
Jul 18, 20:03
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Cannot imagine many of these scum walk to Lunderston Bay so can the area not be gated say by 8pm then at least they would have to park on the road and walk ...ownres of cars parked after this time probably up to no good giving the police a chance.

Recommend? Yes 10 No 3
GordieJ
6 posts
Jul 18, 21:24
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Good idea gdsanders. We should be making life as difficult as possible for the scumbags that do this.

Recommend? Yes 5 No 3
myfindhorn
278 posts
Jul 18, 22:16
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I don,t know how many people go to Launderson, but most people that I see walk their dogs there, however I do get to see the young people that frequent the bay at week-ends and most are polite, I have yet to see or hear them being foul mouthed.

Having said that , I was just wondering how many places are there of a constructive nature for 14 to 17 year olds between Largs and Port Glasgow, not many I bet. Are we that old we have forgotten what it is like to be young, not all young people are disrespectful or vandals.

As for the police I have been on the beach when the young ones and the police have been there, they did,nt seem put out, I guess it makes their job easier if all the young ones are together in one place, out of harms way and earshot of non existing neighbours

Now, is,nt it wonderful how all this has been going on and the council have never bothered before until.................THE TALL SHIPS COMPLAINTS,...........guess they had to get our minds onto something else............BUT!!!!!!! look at how many people are trying to get the council to open the Sugarsheds for the community, pity they belong to .......EH! WHO IS AGAIN ?

Recommend? Yes 1 No 2
grandad
58 posts
Jul 18, 22:30
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sorry to report but last year while on holiday i was at lunderston around 9 at nite just chillen wi my bro talking about old times and crowd of kids started to set fires on benches saying they wanted a heat and some light so we confronted them and the cops turned up and as they had done a runner asked me and my bro our names an address then told us it was wee scumbags fae inverkip

Recommend? Yes 6 No 1
grandad
58 posts
Jul 18, 22:35
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also just had phone call 2 say ive still got green oak bar and horseshoe bar when i come up on holiday yeeehaaa

Recommend? Yes 2 No 0
Snausages
108 posts
Jul 18, 22:51
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Time for curfews in this town.Under 18's not allowed out after 9pm. It's the only solution to this crisis.

Recommend? Yes 1 No 4
myfindhorn
278 posts
Jul 18, 23:22
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16 year olds can get married in Scotland, can you imagine telling a married couple to get home for 9pm lol..................wont work

Recommend? Yes 3 No 0
myfindhorn
278 posts
Jul 18, 23:32
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Just thought I would add, what about the vandalism by Greenock town council, take a good look around you not only at the state of the town but the fact that WE ARE PAYING these adult vandals a wage

Recommend? Yes 7 No 1
Moonshadow
79 posts
Jul 19, 14:48
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that is not the best photo of wilson he looks in pain

Recommend? Yes 4 No 0
gcc1961
24 posts
Jul 19, 18:17
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It is such a shame that a few idiots spoil it for the majority.

Recommend? Yes 4 No 0
tommyspanner
4 posts
Jul 19, 18:41
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The filth who do this activity, have little brain, and even less skill, maybe they should try and get a job, if they don,t already have a police record.

Recommend? Yes 4 No 0
Idoubtit
132 posts
Jul 19, 19:09
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We never get a seat at Lunderston Bay anyway. If you have a dog, you're not allowed to sit in the picnic area. A big man comes and tells you to move and hands you a leaflet with instructions on how not to sit there with your dog...

And if you walk past the kids bit with a dog, even a sappy cuddly lab seems to be threatening for some people.

If they want to keep the place decent, they'll have to pay to Police it. Have they not heard of CCTV? We had years of misery with the annual seasonal influx of new teenagers where we used to live. Some years they were a decent bunch and other years they were thugs. Same pattern, they'd sit talking and laughing for a bit and then they'd start underage drinking and then they'd all start fighting and smashing windows and jumping on top of cars. We complained until CCTV was installed. They moved off then.

Recommend? Yes 2 No 0
mrgraemefreeman91
4 posts
Jul 20, 07:15
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See if there was actually any investment in street lighting inside the parking area (and even the children's area which would Stop it from being vandalized) and CCTV cameras this wouldn't happen. lunderson bay has went down hill Quite sharply since i was younger and im only 20 ...i remember the days where there where Actually proper public toilets and the park was well kept and clean. Taking things away doesn't help, the last time i was down the only thing that wasn't vandalized was the memorial benches along the pathway. and lights don't even need to be expencive to run ...get solar ones ...i think they should completely refurbish the beach area ...

Recommend? Yes 4 No 0
myfindhorn
278 posts
Jul 20, 11:18
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mrgraemefreeman91

I totally agree and as I read your comments I hope that everyone else noted that for the ( wee scumbags ) did not wreck the benches ,did it not do your heart good to realise that they at least respected the memorial benches. The young can,t be all that bad.

Recommend? Yes 1 No 0
handofsnake
6 posts
Jul 20, 15:34
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wow all this just over a few benches! but still stupid wee neds they need to learn some fucking respect for others and themselfs. thanks for setting us scots back a few 100 years NEDS

Recommend? Yes 7 No 0
Tiddles
1077 posts
Jul 20, 19:05
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I'm not really sure what Wilson's expression is telling us, perhaps I'd better not say what I think.

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Tiddles
1077 posts
Jul 20, 21:57
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VERY good suggestion gdsanders

Recommend? Yes 4 No 0
Stephen4
39 posts
Jul 21, 02:35
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So toilets removed that were there once upon a time and now benches, good grief, what a society we live in these days!

Have kids lost respect or is there lack of deterrent in our day and age, lack of police, cutbacks etc.

Instead of removal as this is all too easy, can there not be a deterrent and improvement for our area?

In reality I would suggest bringing back the birch to sort out a mindless few but human rights would gun me down on that one.

Closing the park at night sounds like a good idea but this ruins it for the good people whom would like to walk their dogs, or walkers and cyclists in the area.

Cameras could be one idea or even building a small dwelling house on the site with a caretaker to watch over the area as there are plenty of unemployed people who would jump at the chance of being the area janitor living there, also stick toilets to the side of the building and a shed to hire out deck chairs etc to help pay for the costs.

I know, Im spinning off rubbish here but just trying to think of ideas to bring people to the area rather than letting another place get run down within our area, we should be attracting more people to the area rather than letting these idiots damage what we have left.

If push came to shove, I would be quite happy to even pay a pound or two to park my car in there so my children can enjoy a day out.

Inverclyde council can do so much better for this area, come on! how come other places manage!

Recommend? Yes 7 No 0
Moonshadow
79 posts
Jul 21, 13:14
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is wilsons face like that coes thay took the loos away

Recommend? Yes 6 No 0
TommyT
25 posts
Jul 21, 15:21
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Perhaps if some of the lenient, bleeding heart, blame it all on society Sheriffs would hand down some meaningful punishment to these idiots they might think twice about repeating their vandalism. But then again we must blame their upbringing and not their actions. After all they are they are not responsible for their actions.

Recommend? Yes 5 No 0
017333RsC
29 posts
Jul 22, 15:46
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(Unfortunately) I live in East Anglia and like many areas such as this vandalism is endemic in our society. I'm also a Parish Councillor and am on the Planning & Environmental Committee where we look after the very large park in our town. Two years ago we also suffered from continuous vandalism to older type concrete and wooden benches, but rather than let these morons have the upper hand we looked to install newer 'vandal proof' version of the benches - we have now installed 24 of these all metal with vandal proof paint benches at a cost of £600ea (installed) and continue to have vandalism in certain areas but now no longer on these newer benches.

Now, why can't Councillor Wilson look further into the provision of something similar for his community rather than accept defeat as he seems to have donein this instance?

Recommend? Yes 26 No 0
Stephen4
39 posts
Jul 23, 01:48
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Very well said 017333RsC,

And why can't the people who are doing this damage be caught and made an example of? which without doubt is the root of the problem.

I am sure that vandalism has always been in society but I feel in this day and age it is much worse.

I noticed a couple of years ago that some of the heads were knocked off the railings on the esplanade in greenock, this bewildered me because they have been there for years and years and have survived only until now, which in reality shows the mentality of some people today, a great example for tourists!

Where on earth has respect gone?

Recommend? Yes 5 No 0
Tiddles
1077 posts
Jul 23, 20:45
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I know I will be shouted down for this and of course Mrs Tiddles says that I am way over the top but...why don't we have public thrashings for these little dead beats, why don't we rig up a platform at Clyde Square and beat the living crap out of them, liberally dosed with some humiliation (pelting with eggs and 'things')? Too much? Well if you saw what they did to my gates last week you'd want them hit. Oh and can we have the parents there to have a few strokes of the birch too?

Yes, yes, I know I have lost the plot but where the blazes does this end? There seems to be a total lack of self control from children right up to councillors, why is this?

Recommend? Yes 6 No 1
Tiddles
1077 posts
Jul 23, 20:49
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@017333RsC

Councillor Wilson is a pompous eejit.

Recommend? Yes 3 No 0
017333RsC
29 posts
Jul 26, 12:50
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'All metal picnic tables' from Kimpton Leisure and 'Anti graffiti treatment - Microguard AD00' from Microguard'

Job done!

Recommend? Yes 17 No 0
017333RsC
29 posts
Jul 26, 13:20
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Just an additional thought - Why hasn't Councillor Wilson approached both Gourock and Inverkip Community Councils to ask if they will contribute towards the provision of vandal proof picnic benches?

After all isn't this what Community Councils are for? You all pay an additional amount on top of your 'community charge' to support and help these councils to provide additional local benefits - isn't this a prime example of local need for the benefit of the wider community?

Recommend? Yes 12 No 3
MMaannyy
6 posts
Jul 28, 19:08
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Lunderston Bay is Inverclyde's "jewel in the crown" - - - you're having a laugh, right?

Recommend? Yes 3 No 2
StuartH
47 posts
Aug 2, 19:34
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017333RsC...stick to what you know....English Parish Councils are totally dissimilar to Community Councils and in addition they are not funded by the taxpayer !!

Recommend? Yes 4 No 0

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