VISITORS walking dogs on a stretch of Minehead beach could unwittingly risk being fined up to £1,000 after Somerset Council has delayed putting up dog ban signs for more than three months.
In May, councillors approved a proposal to re-implement a Public Space Protection Order banning dogs from the beach at Minehead golf club to the Jubilee café between May and September.
The previous Order had expired in 2019.
Under the new ban, which does n’t include the beach around the harbour, owners taking dogs into restricted areas or failing to clean up after their pets, could be fined up to £1,000.
Somerset Council claimed the order would reduce antisocial behaviour caused by irresponsible dog-owners. It also authorised officers to request dogs be put on leads if necessary.
This week, residents told the Free Press signage advertising the ban had still not been installed and dogs were regularly being walking on the prohibited stretch of beach.
The matter was also discussed at July’s Minehead Town Council meeting, when councillors said they were still waiting for a response from Somerset Council to their objection to the reinstatement of the dog ban.
A resident who takes a daily walk along the shoreline, said: “Visitors are walking their dogs everywhere because there are no signs saying that they can’t.
“Surely, it doesn’t take three months to stick up a notice?
“Today there were at least six dogs on the banned bit of beach and one owner I spoke to said she had no idea that there were restrictions about dog walking.”
Other residents took to social media to claim that lack of signage had caused rows between visitors and local people when it was pointed out that dogs were prohibited on the eastern stretch of beach.
The new ban came in response to a Somerset Council consultation which found that 57 per cent of those asked said they would visit the beach less if no dog restrictions were in place.
Asked about the delay, a Somerset Council spokesperson said: “The signs are in production and will be put up as soon as possible.”