OUT IN THE FIELD: No such thing as the poo fairy as Eastbourne golf club asks people to stick to footpaths

Officials at the Royal Eastbourne Golf Club have quite rightly thrown their toys out of the pram and have kicked off over people not sticking to the public footpath and instead are trampling over other parts of the golf course.

In recent months there have been instances of people gathering together to have barbecues and dog owners allowing their pets to run wild across the perfectly-manicured greens and do their business.

The club says it has been pleased to provide the public with a lovely green space to enjoy their daily exercise during all three of the coronavirus lockdowns since last March.

However, due to damage, officials now “have to regrettably ask the public to respect its private land and to help protect it against further damage by sticking to the public footpaths as well as clean up after your dog”.

I frequently walk the footpath across the golf course and it’s very well signposted for walkers.

It’s not much to ask that we stick to the designated path and certainly dog walkers should be clearing up after their pets.

There’s no such thing as the poo fairy on the golf course. Or anywhere else for that matter.

The parking free-for-all continues in Eastbourne town centre’s Cornfield Road with wardens unable to issue tickets as contractors haven’t finished all of the signage in the street or managed to paint the right amount of white lines.

It means motorists can park there all day wherever they like – and even on street corners obstructing the views for drivers pulling out of Hyde Gardens and Lushington Road.

More worrying now though is that spaces specifically designated for blue badge holders – outside the old Tourist Information Centre – can’t park close to the town centre as they are taken up exclusively by delivery drivers collecting food from outlets to take to customers.

There is a constant stream of private cars rocking up all day and night with drivers taking their empty bags to fill them up at eateries in the area. They are also parked up on the no waiting areas on the corner of Mark Lane too.

East Sussex County Council, which is responsible for the traffic improvement scheme in the town centre, has now told us twice in the last year that it is working with contractors so the lining work on the new road surface ‘takes place as soon as possible’.

How long does it take to paint a few lines? It’s becoming an absolute joke. But sadly, not funny for blue badge holders.

I realise I am starting to sound like a Grumpy Old Woman but during a recent stroll I was horrified to see all the litter in the car park of the retail park at The Range end of Lottbridge Drove and in the hedges on the opposite side of the road.

Bins have been strategically placed in the car park but some people seem to think it’s socially acceptable to throw it on the ground – or in the hedges as they drive away down the road. The hedges are littered with rubbish and it looks unsightly. I have reported it to the council’s cleansing contractor Environment First.

If they can’t sort it, I might just have a go at doing it myself with a couple of black bin liners and a pair of thick gloves. I will be the one in The Womble costume – Madame Cholet I do believe she was called.