Pub landlords angry at loss of recycling centres in Bognor Regis

The neighbourhood facilities are set to be taken away soon from the Family Tree in Durlston Drive, the Wheatsheaf in Hawthorn Road and the Rising Sun (Bersted Tavern) in Chichester Road.

Arun District Council told the licensees about its decision.

The centres comprise a range of about six containers '“ bottle banks for various coloured glass, cans and plastics containers and paper banks.

The Wheatsheaf also has a clothes bank. The containers are in the pubs' car parks.

Peter Keen, the licensee of the Family Tree, said: "People around the pub are using the recycling centre all the time.

"The containers are so popular they are often full up with items spilling out of them.

"Cars are always being driven in and out of the car park by people with bottles and papers for recycling.

"There's a lot of elderly people in the area as well who bring their items along.

"I think people will be angry when they know they are going to be taken away. I don't know what they are going to do when the containers go.

"The council said the nearest alternatives are at Tesco or West Meads. But many of the people who use this site won't be able to get over to those.

"Who wants to go to Tesco, and get in and out of there, just to do some recycling anyway?"

Peter Waller, of the Rising Sun, said the decision would mean he and the other licensees having to take their empty bottles elsewhere at the expense of seeing their vehicle insurance increase because it is being used for work purposes.

Hiring a bin commercially would cost 60-plus a week.

The recycling centres were among the 39 set up around the district in the mid-1990s to encourage recycling.

They proved an instant hit by bringing the practice into local communities.

A district council spokeswoman said: "Improvements to our recycling service introduced in Arun means our residents can now recycle more items at home in their blue-top bins, including glass bottles.

"It is because of these improvements, and the way they have been supported by residents across the district, that we are now removing these types of 'communal' bins from a number of sites.

"It is against the law for any businesses to use these bins to dispose of trade waste."

Any resident affected by the loss of these bins and wants a domestic recycling bin should contact Arun on 01903 737754.

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