It wasn't that long ago when the issue of what to do with the millions of sticks of chewing gum that end up being trodden into our nation's streets raised it's ugly head.
Well, if you're in Wimbledon, you just stick it on a board instead. It's that simple. Those nice folks at Merton Council hoping to alleviate some of the £150 million a year they spend on the problem have erected four boards around the Centre Court shopping mall: a renowned hotspot for litterbugs who throw their old chewing gum on the pavement. Sorry, we thought that was just London.
The boards have a plastic coating that's changed six times a week and when trialled in Ealing, celebrity versions were used so you could stick your gum on such luminaries as Jordan and Peter Andre. Sounds to us as if they could use that idea for the doggy poo litter bins in parks as well. Or perhaps you could just walk into your local WH Smiths and stick gum all over the first available copy of Heat magazine. We haven't seen the boards that apparently live in Kingston, probably because they're hidden by all the gum, but trials also carried out in Bournmouth and Preston (from the Ordinary Boys, and do you get Chantelle too?) have gathered over 1600 pieces of gum a week. Each, not combined.
Well if it's going to stop the dirty little bastards from spitting it all over the pavement then we think it's a great idea and we can't wait to spend a Friday night waiting for the 57 watching all the drunks fall into them and then trying to remove themselves like flies from a spider's web.
The iniative is being run as part of National Clean Up Week and Graffiti Officers will be outside Centre Court from 9am tomorrow to issue wrongdoers with a £50 fine and answer questions from the public. If you're in the area perhaps you could ask them what their favourite Banksy is.
