AUTHORITIES have appealed to people graffitiing buildings and property in Newquay to stop following a spare of incidents.
Newquay BID, councillors, business owners and residents want to stamp out the growing increase in tagging following concerns it makes the town look so unsightly.
Intelligence is being gathered on people who are graffitiing the town, which is being passed to Devon and Cornwall Police. It follows initiatives to remove tagging from Harbour Heights and the shelter on the edge of the Barrowfields but within days the areas have been targeted once again. Newquay Cricket Club also had its pitch covers covered in graffiti.
Mark Warren, the manager at Newquay BID said: “We are appealing to those responsible for the graffiti ruining our town to stop.
“We have received intelligence on these idiots that has been shared with the Devon and Cornwall Police.
“Hard working Newquay locals and businesses do not appreciate your so-called artwork.
“We had volunteers paint the Harbour Height steps just a few weeks ago and those volunteers have had to return twice to paint out their handywork.
“Local businesses work hard to make a living and do not want their walls covered in graffiti.
“This is not appreciated in Newquay, and we are working with Devon and Cornwall Police Town centre CCTV, businesses and other partners to stop this happening.
“If anyone has any information on those responsible, please share with us and Devon and Cornwall Police.”
Newquay central Cornwall councillor Louis Gardner added: “I am saddened by the current spate of tagging around Newquay.
“I managed to get a full refurbishment of the shelter on the edge of the Barrowfield after it was graffitied, and it has happened again.
“This is not graffiti which is a recognised artform, this is nothing more than vandalism of both public and private property.
“This vandalism costs the public to rectify and in many cases causes significant emotional distress to those involved. I am further saddened that some of the organisations, such as Newquay Cricket Club, which contribute so much to our community have also been affected. I call upon anyone who knows anything about this criminal activity to report it to the police.”
A spokesperson for Newquay Cricket Club added: “In what seems to be a growing trend in the town lately our pitch covers were vandalised and covered in graffiti.
“The club is run by hard working volunteers with very limited funding and stuff like this is demoralising.”
Trenance Cornwall councillor Olly Monk believes adults as well as children are responsible for the tagging: “It is not always children. Often it is people older. Why they do it is beyond me. They have no respect for the town.”