‘It’s disgusting and attracts rats’: No-one wants to take responsibility for pile of rubbish dumped in back alley

The bags of rubbish have been left behind a property on Mincing Lane. Now, the owner of the Taste of India, which is next door, says he is frustrated that nobody wants to take responsibility for the bags which are attracting rats and causing major issues for his business.

Blackburn with Darwen Council said the rubbish was on private land and was the responsibility of the property owners. They said the property owner had been contacted to clean up the mess.

Mr Sharif, of the Taste of India, said: “It has been like this for more than eight months and nobody had made any effort to move it.

“We have cleaned behind our property and continue to do so.

“You can see how much rubbish there is. It is clearly a health hazard for all the businesses here.
“We have tried to get in touch with the property owner but had not luck.

“The council has told us this is private land so the property owner should move it.

“We are trying to run a good clean business here and we have to put up this mountain of rubbish. Someone needs to take responsibility now as this has gone on far too long.”

The property is a closed shopfront with flats above it. Access to the alleyway is only through the business as the gate is locked from Mincing Lane.

A spokesperson for Pear Tree Podiatry, which is also adjacent to the property said: “We have had issues with people dumping rubbish here for a long time. People will just throw rubbish over the wall behind their businesses and expect someone else to pick it up.”

“The lock is always changing. We have tried to have one lock and keys for each business but then someone just snaps the lock off and puts their own lock on.”

Further down the alleyway more rubbish has been dumped in a yard behind another property.

Cllr Altaf ‘Tiger’ Patel said he had been called to assist Mr Sharif: “It seems no one wants to take responsibility for this. It is very unfair on the businesses who have to put up with this.”

A council spokesperson said: “This is private land and is the responsibility of the properties who have access. We have previously spoken with the affected properties.”