TRADERS in part of Minehead are being asked to pay for a scheme to curb a colony of pesky seagulls.

Minehead Chamber of Commerce has handed out a number of letters to businesses on Mart Road Industrial Estate asking for a contribution of £100 towards a scheme that will reduce the size of a colony of seagulls that have been interfering with trade.

Tony Payne, owner of Autohaus, specialists in VW Camper Van conversions, said: “They are bad for business, especially when you work with cars.

“The mess they leave is unbelievable. One of my team was actually poo-ed on while he was working on a campervan.

“I think anything to get rid of them is a good thing.”

The Chamber proposes an egg replacement scheme that is already in place in Bath and Bristol.

The birds’ eggs will be substituted with artificial eggs to fool the gulls into spending more time in the nest and not laying any more.

The Chamber also proposes that the public refuse bins are frequently checked and signs are erected on the seafront to deter people from feeding the gulls.

Chamber chairman Graham Sizer hopes West Somerset Council and Minehead Town Council will get on board with funding.

He said: “The Chamber of Commerce has already offered £300 towards the preferred scheme. “Over £1,500 has already been raised from traders.

“If £4,000 can be raised, there will be enough money in the kitty to roll out a three-year programme without the need for further assistance, although we have been warned by experts that no one scheme has the same effect as any other.”

John Barnes, manager of Hedley Price Funeral Directors, is pleased something is being done.

He said: “We have a valet come and clean the cars and it has happened before where we have gone inside for an hour, come back and the seagulls have left a mess all over them.

“It sets us back because I have to get the cleaners out again to sort it out. Their mess is actually acidic so we can’t leave it as it will damage the cars.”

The seagulls have been nesting in around 50 nests on the roof of Ben Bowman Ltd. “They make so much noise that they frighten our customers,” said Ben Bowman.

“The mess they leave is unbelievable, as is the debris.”