St Ives Business Improvement District (BID) and the St Ives Town Council have collaborated to invest in additional anti-seagull ‘spikes’ around the town in preparation for the busy summer season.
Seagull spikes might sound painful, but they are in fact a brush-like collection of very fine wires protruding from a sturdy plastic base designed to discourage herring gulls from landing.
Strips of these are placed along rooftop ridges, around chimneys and on lamp posts in seaside towns across the UK.
Last year in St Ives, spikes were installed on top of hanging baskets along the wharf. In 2016, this has been extended to include lamp posts, a vantage point from which the gulls can swoop on unsuspecting tourists.
Carl Lamb, St Ives BID manager, said: “The gull issue in the town has been ongoing for many years, and from the moment the BID came into existence it has been a priority campaign for us.
“This is just one of a number of measures we’ve rolled out and we’ll continue to consult experts and explore avenues to alleviate the situation in the town.”
