A BARRY resident is urging people to behave with consideration for others and for the environment when visiting Cold Knap Beach.
Mike Smith lives within walking distance of the beach and visits on a regular basis, but in recent weeks he has become incensed with people leaving their rubbish behind and for using it as a platform for making political statements.
He said: “I’m politely asking people to keep politics away from the beach. We had a large, heart-shaped Ukrainian flag which was made of chalk, and that gradually washed away, but we’ve also had pro-Palestinian activists creating rather violent imagery that they then leave behind.
“The other day, I pulled one of the canvases apart and put it in a nearby bin, but when I returned the following day, it was there again.
“Where do you stop with this sort of thing?”
People using the beach to make political statements is not the only matter that has irked Mr Smith during the last few weeks. He said: “Some people left a wigwam-type structure on the beach that I couldn’t move myself but it’s an eyesore that’s gradually falling apart.
“Barbecues are also a big problem for two reasons. Firstly, they burn the pebbles, causing permanent damage to them, and on top of that, some people don’t take their rubbish away with them, which in turn spoils the scenery for everyone, and creates hazards for animals.”
Mr Smith also dislikes the artwork that has appeared on the beach in recent times and points out the negative impact it has on the environment: “Art is a very subjective thing, tastes differ, but it’s totally inappropriate to paint pebbles in acrylic and write ‘it’s for you’ on them. Well, I don’t want it, thank you very much.
“Unlike the chalk used on the pebbles to create the Ukrainian flag in the shape of a heart, acrylic doesn’t come off. They’re causing irreparable damage to the pebbles.
“My message to people is please don’t do it. It’s not for me to impose my idea of art on you, but even more importantly, we all have a duty to leave the beach in good condition. It’s a place for peace and relaxation, not political statements, messy barbecues and environmentally damaging works of art,” he said.
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