Keeping up appearances.

Right under the noses of B&NES – just across the High Street from Bath’s Guildhall – this is the pile of rubbish that greeted commuters on their way to work this morning.

It’s a mixture of recyclable and general waste but – after the gulls had done their picking – and the refuse operators have carted off the offending pile – this was the view that greeted a street cleaner l bumped into who was almost in tears.

Thousands of micro plastic balls scattered over pavement and road.

Traders in this area are told to put rubbish out at night for collection first thing but this stuff hasn’t all come from shops and cafes.

One trader in Northumberland Parade told me that a lot of this had been dumped by students moving out of flats above the pavement businesses and was only a taste of what is to come as they pack up and leave the city over the next few weeks.

When is the message going to get through to our two universities and their academic flock?

Someone should pay for this and it should not be the ratepayer.

If you can’t find the students to fine them, then fine the universities.

When are we going to start tidying up and taking pride in this World Heritage city which wants to put on its best face for its hundreds and thousands of annual visitors.

And, l must say, it doesn’t help appearances when cheap tarmac is being used to make up for missing heritage setts and paving.

Especially when it comes down to the very public symbol of our World Heritage status, where there is more tarmac in evidence.

If your councillor isn’t following http://www.bathnewseum.com will you point them in the right direction!