A new initiative is underway to remove graffiti in Newquay town centre following a spate of tagging on buildings.

Construction company Kier have teamed up with Love Newquay and Brandon Trust to kickstart the clean-up

Volunteers from Kier, Brandon Trust, Love Newquay, Newquay Town Team, Newquay in Bloom and harbourmaster Kimberley Johnson have picked up their rollers and tackled graffiti on the Tram Tracks area and at Harbour Heights so far.

Harbour Heights has been painted in a deep Atlantic blue to discourage people from graffitiing the area. It is due to be a temporary measure ahead of a mural being created in the seating area.

The graffiti clean up initiative is now encouraging business owners, landlords and members of the public to join them in their approach to cleaning up Newquay.

( Members from Newquay in Bloom, Newquay Town Team, Newquay BID and harbourmaster Kimberley Johnson were among those helping to clear the graffiti at Harbour Heights (Picture: Warren Wilkins))

The clean-up initiative came about after Newquay BID manager Mark Warren met a representative of Kier at a school engagement event at Treviglas Academy. The conversation focussed on the BID objective “Cleaner, Greener, Safer” and specifically the issue of graffiti. It transpired that Kier support community initiatives nationwide and this led to the teamwork between BID and Kier targeting graffiti in Newquay.

Graffiti is the responsibility of Cornwall Council on council owned property and it is the landowner’s responsibility to clean graffiti on private property, which is why Newquay BID is working to create a community graffiti tackling team. According to Safer Cornwall, quickly removing any graffiti from private property works as a deterrent as well as a solution.

Cornwall Council’s website states: “If left untouched graffiti can encourage more graffiti, rubbish dumping and anti-social behaviour.”

(Harbourmaster Kimberley Johnson and Shirley Williams from the Town Team help clear up Harbour Heights (Picture: Warren Wilkins) )

Mark Warren, the Love Newquay and Newquay BID manager, said: “We hear a lot from both businesses and the public about the graffiti in Newquay. This isn’t only a local issue, its nationwide in towns. I believe that we are so passionate about this and if likeminded individuals want to tackle this we can get together and have that conversation.

“There are a lot more of us against graffiti than those doing it. If people are as passionate as we know people are we can tackle this and show a clear message that this isn’t welcome in our town.

“Anybody with a real desire to display their artistic skills, get in touch and we can point you in the right direction.”

(Harbour Heights before the clean up was carried out )

( Harbour Heights after the clean up was carried out)

Doug Lloyd, regional director at Kier Construction Western & Wales, said: “Making a positive impact on the communities we work in is at the heart of our values, so we were thrilled to team up with Brandon and Love Newquay on this graffiti clean-up project.

“It was fantastic to see everyone working together, actively working to improve the local community.”