Peter Marigold in South End Green

A GROUP of residents and businesses in South End Green have come together to say their refuse collection is rubbish.

Led by long-time resident Peter Marigold, a group met on August 4 to discuss problems with rubbish bags left uncollected, or piling high outside where passengers have to get off the 168 bus as it terminates in the area.

The problems are exacerbated by having at least three different rubbish collection firms, Veolia for residents and some businesses, FirstMile, Paper Round and Biffa.

Mr Marigold said: “It’s got really annoying, particularly with the pile of rubbish outside where I live near Zara. Initially when they put the water fountain in, the bags carried on being piled up near there.

“Then a few days later they had all basically been put outside my front door.”

He added: “They give out a window for collections, which changes or is missed altogether. Meanwhile bags are just sat there rotting, and people who visit the area – which is a lot of people due to the Heath, end up thinking they can put their rubbish on top of the existing bags. So it just piles up.”

Some campaigners have long been calling for fixed “Euro-bins” to tackle the issue in Hampstead and also in West Hampstead, where the problem became central to a by election success for the Liberal Democrats last year.

Labour blocked a review of the contract in late 2020, before the council sent a “special waste officer” into West Hampstead to tackle problems in December 2021.

Mr Marigold said: “We are looking to form a business association, it would be best if all businesses could get one operator to collect their rubbish, and physical bins were provided. Given the millions of people that pass through here, the infrastructure just isn’t here. In fact it’s laughable.”

Camden Council spokesperson said: “We want our residents to have a recycling and waste collection service that they are happy with. “We will monitor this location and assign a Camden officer to work with local residents and businesses to address the concerns that have been raised.”