Dog-free beach success

Mar 27 2008 by Dave Black, The Journal

OBEDIANT dog owners have been given a pat on the head for not flouting a controversial ban on taking their pets onto a Northumberland beach.

No fixed penalty fines have been issued since the ban on dogs using the new stretch of sand in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea came into force almost a month ago, despite warnings by some that the clampdown would be impossible to enforce.

More than 150 dog lovers staged a mass protest on the village seafront on March 1 – the day on which the ban on dogs being allowed on the beach came into force.

Some demonstrators flouted the ban by taking their pets on to the sands but Wansbeck Council decided to take a softly-softly approach and not hand out penalties on the day.

Since then council staff have been monitoring the beach and promenade seven days a week and have not yet spotted anyone contravening the ban.

Yesterday council spokesman Ian Leech said: “Since the ban came into force there have been no £75 fixed penalty tickets issued because our staff have not seen anyone on the beach with a dog. We have been carrying out checks at varying times of the day.

“When staff are out and about they have also observed owners sticking to the rules by keeping their dogs on a lead and picking up any mess they leave behind.

“All the evidence after more than three weeks of the ban is that people are observing it and cooperating with us. We thank them very much for that and hope it continues.

“We introduced the ban to make sure that the beach remains clean and safe for families to enjoy, and if our staff do see anyone flouting it they will be approached and issued with a ticket.”

The council introduced the blanket ban on dogs using the beach despite protests from more than 1,000 people, Wansbeck MP Denis Murphy and the Kennel Club, which called for part of the beach to be open to dogs or for the ban to be lifted during the winter.

The beach was recharged last summer as part of a £10m Defra-funded improvement scheme in Newbiggin Bay, involving 500,000 tonnes of sand being imported from Lincolnshire.

The council admitted the ban penalises responsible owners but claims it is the simplest and most effective method of keeping the beach clean and safe.