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By Charlie Brownless and Stephen Johns
Walking into Uni, it seems to be becoming more and more of a task to avoid having a flyer for yet another club night I’m not interested in, shoved in my face.
Promotion staff from town centre bars and clubs hang around outside the University gates practically everyday, giving flyers out and often asking “where are you going tonight?”
This method of ‘promotion’ has not only become a nuisance to us students, but it is now escalating into an environmental issue.
iBar, a revolutionary modern digital bar in town, have been promoting their business with a number of amateur publicity stunts, where recently a promotional message was written in the campus fence with plastic cups.
A number of students are becoming frustrated with the amount of litter and ‘hard sell’ approach employed by the promotional staff.
Sophia Stuart-Clark, a first year student, said: “Most people throw flyers straight on the floor and take no notice. It’s not good promotion or good for the environment.”
Chris Dodimead, 19, a Psychology student believes that “you should require a licence to do it, that way it can be controlled. All the wasted paper can’t be good for the environment.”
Although this promotion isn’t yet illegal, Bournemouth County Council recently passed the Distribution of Free Literature Order, which says that businesses and individuals must have a licence to give flyers out, yet this only applies to Bournemouth Town Centre and Boscombe Precinct.
Leafleting without a licence can result in fines of over a thousand pounds.
Andy Williams, Safer and Stronger Communities Manager at Bournemouth Council said: “We are working hard to protect our environment and keep Bournemouth clean.”
Mr Williams understood the concerns and agreed that something needed to be done.
“The council would consider including the area outside the University, but we would need to receive sufficient evidence and complaints before that could happen.”
The problem is unlikely to be resolved in the near future, as Bournemouth’s bars and clubs continue targeting students as their main source of income.
If you wish to complain you can contact the council enforcement team on 01202 451199
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