Business group targets city centre pigeons
They steal your chips, leave thousands of droppings around Lincoln centre and get under your feet when you're trying to do your shopping.
But in the new year pigeon numbers could be cut down to a manageable level in Lincoln as the city's Business Improvement Group launches a plan to reduce the population.
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Pigeons in City Square, Lincoln, eating food scraps that have been thrown away by shoppers.
But BIG have admitted that nothing has been done to develop the plan since they won a ballot to retain their management of the city centre back in October.
The group have a £6 million masterplan to develop and improve the centre of Lincoln.
Park-and-ride schemes, a blitz on street drinking and a crackdown on food left out for pigeons were included in the manifesto drawn up by the organisation.
Matt Corrigan, chief executive of the group, said the group would be working on a more solid plan in the new year.
"Controlling pigeons in the city does feature in our plans for next year," he said. "We will be working on a new leaflet and information. We will also be renewing the signage to tell people not to feed the pigeons."
The leaflets will contain information for the public and business owners about removing rubbish and not feeding the birds.
But Lincoln BIG said it will not be carrying out a cull of the birds.
"We will be working with the street wardens and the police to get the message out there," said Matt Corrigan. "No matter how much we cull the birds, if there's a large quantity of food around they will carry on breeding.
"We are never going to completely eradicate pigeons but we do want to cut down their numbers."
For other methods of pigeon control, see Wednesday's Echo.
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by Nick Ricketts, Lincoln/Lincolnshire
Monday, August 09 2010, 2:26PM
“After reading some of the negative replies to a company trying to keep the city clean and pest free, all I can say is...
I'd hate to see where these folk live, maybe they like to live in s..t but many like myself do not. I think BIG could do with more support. Maybe a facebook page?”
by Nick Ricketts, Lincoln/Lincolnshire
Monday, August 09 2010, 2:20PM
“I can count on both hands and feet the amount of times I have seen some idiot just pour chips all over the floor with such carefree abandon. I once saw a woman do that, she was with her little girl. What is that going to teach a child? I said to this woman, "There's a bin over there". (as I pointed to a bin 20 feet away), she replied, "So?" I then said, "Well, why drop your chips on the floor for?" She answered, "the pigeons are out". I replied with a chuckle, "well they ain't walking dustbins are they?" She told me to, "get lost".
Another time I was eating chips with a buddy of mine and a man approached me and said sternly with a shaky demeanour, "how can you sit there eating those chips when there are all these hungry pigeons around?" I was dumbfounded. I replied, (a swear word) followed by "off". And he did.
I do not understand why people can't put things in a dustbin and I do not get the mentality of some people. These pigeons will become more brave and cunning the more people are thick enough to feed them. A big problem is the old people who feed the bloody things, if I wanted to feed something I'd feed the swans and ducks bread where the pigeons don't venture. I think a lot of the people need culling as well as the pigeons!”
by John Bartley, Sewells Walk
Friday, December 18 2009, 1:36PM
“Ok who is going to clear up all the mess from spilt takeaways on our pavements?”
by Matt, Lincoln
Wednesday, December 16 2009, 4:41PM
“Have we all forgotten the part that pigeons played in the First World War! Tut-tut!!!!!”
by Rick, lincoln
Wednesday, December 16 2009, 4:27PM
“operations manager cant work for lincoln big as he/she cant even spell HAZARD (notice 1 Z not 2 like he/she put in)”
by Brian, Lincoln
Wednesday, December 16 2009, 4:16PM
“Suprise....Lincoln Echo is part of BIG. Now how un-patisan is that..
Naughty Echo, running a story for an unelected mafiosa style group calling itself BIG? bet you gotta pay to be a member? only pay a little and your voice is not heard? pushing the public about through media scare moungering? never a reputable newspaper. as a favourite celeb says...A lie, easily found out.”
by Brian, Lincoln
Wednesday, December 16 2009, 4:05PM
“Just looked BIG up, and as far as I can see they have no rights in demanding public compliance, They cannot command law or police/council action, they can just bully what they want done by threats. sorry BIG but I will feed the pigeons as you do not own the city and cannot arrest me. na..nana..na naaaaana.”
by Brian, Lincoln
Wednesday, December 16 2009, 3:29PM
“Just wondering? are BIG voted in by the public? do they have power given by the electorate? can they enforce fines through a court of law? Thought not.. I'm off to feed the pigeons, it gives me a great sense of well being, maybe BIG need to get a bit of parklife and cut down on their porklife maybe...”
by Brian, Lincoln
Wednesday, December 16 2009, 3:18PM
“Lets tackle a problem! Drunks?...noooo, stupid sized pushchairs in shops?...noooo, Cycles on the pedestrian area? noooo, Charity box jinglers?....noooo Parking to suit the city?...noooo. how about a really easy target? Pigeons...how do we do it? claim lots of diseases they can give us and claim they mob...nay mug you and pass their terrible infections to us o purpose, horrible stinky things.....Wait Mr. Operations manager LincolnBIG (who has no name so Mr. OMLB it is) what causes injury in Lincoln on Fri/Sat night?...drunks, who keep asking for cash whilst your shopping? beggers (and daughters) who keeps coughing cold/flu/TB in your face? shoppers. whose vomit is everywhere on saturday morning? humans.....Mr omlb...get the Idea who the real problems come from? several hundred rock doves or several thousand humans? Deal with the real problems or get a real job, better things to do than starve animals to death or shoot them, how barbaric and a simple solution in ignorining real problems.”
by Matt, Lincoln
Wednesday, December 16 2009, 2:59PM
“I find zombies walking into me and women with pushchairs who have no sense of direction a much greater menace than a few pigeons in Town!!! Pigeons have a little character too!!!”