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Dundee business owners say city becoming ‘eyesore’ amid bin strike

Residents and business owners in Dundee have spoken out about the mess of piling rubbish in the city centre amid the bin strikes.
Residents and business owners in Dundee have spoken out about the mess of piling rubbish in the city centre amid the bin strikes.

Dundee business owners and residents have spoken on “dirty streets” and called the city an “eyesore” as the effects from the ongoing bin strike are felt.

Refuse staff began industrial action on Wednesday in a dispute with council chiefs over fair pay.

The strike is to end on Wednesday but a second, eight-day stint is planned for September 6, with Fife joining in for the first time.

Residents and business owners have expressed their views on the issue and the amount of rubbish gathering and being strewn across the city, which has already sparked fears of vermin.

Bins are not being emptied during the strike which is leading them to overflowing.

Andrew McDonald, owner of Andreou’s Bistro, said: “The strikes are definitely impacting business.

“The town is becoming an eyesore very quickly.”

Farhad Fatah, owner of Diamond Scissors, said he is having to clean the mess at the front of his shop every day.

‘Looking a mess’

He said: “It’s very dirty.

“Every day I have to go out in front of the shop and clean.

“It’s really bad, it’s not nice – especially in the middle of the city centre.

“It’s looking like a mess. I don’t know if it’s bad for business, but it definitely doesn’t look good.”

Bins have been overflowing for days on Reform Street in Dundee.

The longer strike action continues, the more rubbish is piling up in the city centre.

Bins in Dundee were already full on Thursday, none are being emptied during the strike period and recycling centres are also closed.

Some residents are worried that, due to the number of strikes in recent weeks over pay, people are “jumping on the bandwagon”.

An overflowing bin on High Street, Dundee.

Gav Monroe, 54, said: “I think everyone’s jumping on the bandwagon now to get more money.

“I know there’s a cost of living crisis, but I don’t know if the country can afford it.

“You’ve got train staff, the folk in schools and now the bin workers.

“It’ll get worse, it definitely will.

‘We took empty bins for granted’

“I think people took it for granted that the bins would always get taken away and the streets would be clean.

“Now we see what it’s like when that doesn’t happen.”

Carol Thomson, 54, said: “It is bad, really bad.

“I feel sorry for the drivers and the bin staff as well.

“When they come back there’s going to be so much for them to do.

Rubbish is also piling up on Commercial Street.

“I think the responsibility for these strikes lies more on the councils.

“I’ve lived in Dundee my whole life and I’ve never seen it get this bad.”

Advice has also been issued for residents telling them what to do with their rubbish.

People in Dundee are being told to not put their rubbish out for collection.

Conversation