Chester’s Rows are not toilets, complains shop owner

Oct 13 2011 by Allison Dickinson, Chester Chronicle

Chester’s Rows are not toilets, complains shop owner

A FOUL problem is being reported on Chester’s historic rows.

Late-night revellers are using the areas to relieve themselves, leaving shopkeepers to wade through urine, vomit, cigarette ends and faeces in the morning.

Kim Jones, manager of The Scented Garden on Bridge Street Row, said the problem is worse when the Rows caretaker is on holiday.

She explained: “The mess is terrible. I’ve seen bottles, cigarette ends, takeaway cartons, human faeces and urine all over the floor.

“Normally, if we have a problem then the caretaker is on hand to clean any mess up and he does a wonderful job, but when he is on holiday nothing is put in place.”

Kim said she was told by Streetscene that it wasn’t an urgent matter.

“I had to wait for two hours for someone to clean it up,” she said.

“Something needs to be done to stop this from happening.

“The cameras don’t deter people because they don’t care when they have had a drink, so maybe the council should install gates and shut the Rows up at night.”

A council spokesman said: “The Rows and streets are cleaned daily by Streetscene which has a constant presence between 5.30am and 8pm.

“Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Regulatory Services team and Streetscene work in partnership with police to tackle the issue.

“Offenders are captured on CCTV and prosecuted in the magistrates court or given the option to attend an early-morning awareness session at their own expense. The session is completed with a walk on the Rows, where the evidence of public urination and the damage it causes is all too apparent.”

To report a problem, call 0300 123 7026.