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    21

    Feb 2023

    Last Updated: 20/02/2023
    Community
    Community

    Rubbish bins removed at Ripon gardens to keep rats at bay

    by Tim Flanagan

    | 21 Feb, 2023
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    ripon-20th-feb-2023-temple-gardens-seats

    Rubbish bins have been removed from Temple Gardens in Ripon in a bid to keep rats at bay.

    Harrogate Borough Council has responsibility for the small, secluded gardens located off Allhallowgate and is following in the footsteps of Ripon City Council, which removed bins from the Quarry Moor car park after a rat infestation caused the temporary closure of the children's playground on site.

    After the vermin issue was eradicated the playground reopened in time for last year's school holidays.

    The entrance to Temple Gardens

    At the February full city council meeting, the council's chief officer, Paula Benson said that there had been a problem with rats at Temple Gardens and pointed out:

    "When the Quarry Moor bins were removed the rat population diminished."


    She added:

    "If you have bins, you are going to have rats."


    Cllr Pauline McHardy said:

    "The problem occurs when bins get full to overflowing with discarded bits of food and wrapping.
    "We need to encourage people who go to Temple Gardens to have something to eat, to take their rubbish home with them or put it in more suitably-located bins."


    Councillors agreed to ask HBC to put improved signage in place asking users of the gardens to take their rubbish with them.



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