Security to be brought in this Summer to deal with seafront disturbances and protect TDC toilet staff

Additional security Image Andrey Popov

Thanet council will bring in additional security to support toilet cleaning staff this summer.

The pledge comes on the heels of a chaotic day on Margate Main Sands last Friday (June 17) where multiple fights and disturbances broke out on the beach and seafront and several men were arrested.

During 2020 and 2021 Thanet paid for increased, private enforcement officers to deal with antisocial behaviour and littering on the isle’s beaches.

However, this was paid for out of temporary Contain Outbreak Management Funding (COMF) from the government’s Department for Health and Social Care. That funding has now ended.

However, Thanet council says there will be additional security to protect public toilet staff.

Disturbance on Margate Main Sands

A council spokesperson said: “The council will be providing additional security to support our toilet cleansing staff this summer. This will be during weekends and the school holiday period.

“During the 2020 and 2021 summer seasons, local authorities were awarded temporary Contain Outbreak Management Funding (COMF) from the government’s Department for Health and Social Care, to help reduce the spread of coronavirus and support local public health.

“A proportion of this funding was allocated to initiatives in accordance with our Beach Management Plan, to encourage residents and visitors to return to our beaches. Additional security formed part of this plan, along with increased litter collections, seaweed removal, and temporary toilets on some of our most popular beaches.

Photo Simon Hiller

“Our Beach Management Plan remains in place, though the additional COMF funding is no longer available to supplement and bolster the activities we undertake. Ongoing beach management activity is now funded within the council’s own existing resources.

“The council takes an active role in multi-agency meetings with key partners including Kent Police and British Transport Police, RNLI, Maritime Coastguard Agency, Southeastern and the Multi-agency Task Force.

“The focus of these meetings is on sharing intelligence, coastal safety and tactical responses to managing our coastline during exceptionally busy periods.

“We continue to promote our message to beach users to Respect, Protect and Enjoy our coastline this year.”

Southeastern trains now also has security and stewards in place across multiple stations, including Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs during the weekends and holiday periods,

Town council measures for Broadstairs

In 2020 Broadstairs and St Peter’s Town Council also took the decision to fund private security  mainly focused on Viking Bay but also taking in other bays in the town.

Staff from Marc-One and Probe Security provided the extra services. The town council will pay for extra enforcement again this summer and have security and stewards in place for the beaches.

The town council says Broadstairs welcomes thousands of visitors to its beaches every year and is committed to ensuring that everyone has a great time whilst they are here.

Cllr Roy Dexter, Town Mayor, said: “ For the past two years the Town Council has ensured the continued enjoyment of its beaches by employing a private security firm to patrol the town, promenade and beaches.  This year it intends to do the same in order to maintain the reputation of the town as a family friendly destination and ensure Broadstairs remains a place which people will return to again and again.”

Margate Photo Carl Hudson

Extra police patrols were deployed to Margate on Saturday following the previous day’s disturbances.

Police were called initially to reports of youngsters drinking, using laughing gas inhaled from balloons and abusing passers-by. The disruption forced the closure of beach business Kiddies Corner for the day.

They were then called back to a number of large disturbances. A 62-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, a 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly and a 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure.

Staff at GB Pizza on the seafront were also subjected to abuse and assault from a man who had been drinking.

Dispersal orders were in place at Margate and Broadstairs last week.

Volunteers from Rise Up Clean Up also spent three hours clearing the debris. Seventeen volunteers collected 80 bags of rubbish but say the beach was so disgusting that when they left at 9pm “it still looked like the end of a festival.”

23 Comments

  1. TDC need to make sure anyone arrested due to anti social behaviour they go to court and charged and not just given a slap on the hand

  2. Maybe TDC can get some toilet staff and reopen the toilets in Cavendish street Ramsgate and have security people there as well, it’s disgusting there are no loos in Ramsgate town centre

  3. I had to go to Ramsgate town today first time for a few years and I do live in Ramsgate. Went to park in Cavendish car park and it said I have to pay £1.40 , what to pop to the bank, there were four cars in the car park that once used to be free . The toilets were closed and lots of paint on the doors so I didn’t bother with my trip to the bank. Had I needed the loo there is an overgrown alley that could be used.
    I did drive around the deserted town to see if I could park but still have to pay.
    I feel sorry for the shops , Rooks is one of many , a quid for a pie and £1.40 to get it.

      • No Think its closed , its been many many years since I have been to the town.
        Rooks used to sell hotdogs outside , think they were a pound or £1.50.

    • £1.40 to park

      TDC must have made a killing from the developers who used Cavendish car park as their personal builders yard.

      What power have these security people got ? The trouble makers dont fear the police so what chance has a private security company ?

  4. theres loads of toilets avaliable in ramsgate , empty shop doorways , back alleys , and even the beach according to some dog owners ?

    • TDC sorted this £1.40 to park one don’t stop to need a pee .
      Fact is if one needs a p**s they will find somewhere .
      Yeah we may pay more for shopping at supermarkets or wwc but free parking and if cut short one don’t need to pee in a doorway.

        • “Ramsgate people” how do you know they are from Ramsgate? Just because they are in Ramsgate doesnt necessarily make them from from Ramsgate.

  5. So what are these extra security staff going to be doing with no powers to detain or arrest people, just another waste of money by TDC

  6. The security staff will hide in the toilets with the toilet cleaning staff at the first sign of trouble…. the ONLY ANSWER is bring in the ARMY set up check points.. search everyone.. regular patrols on land and sea … use drones with face recognition software … make the whole visiting margate as un pleasant as possible… this is the only way we can WIN !!

    • You could get the army to mine the beach and put signs up saying it is mined. Nobody would want to use it then and there wouldn’t be any mess to clear up either. Save money on toilets and security staff at same time. Probably given TDC an idea now lol.

  7. Yeah like the security guard at Viking Bay last time who just sat under the clock tower fiddling with his phone and chatting to the TDC street cleaner for hours on end.

    Very effective.

  8. I dont see why anyone would take any notice of the pvt security firm patrolling the beach.

    What can they do ? Tell me to stop playing music load or stop kicking a ball around or stop taking drugs ?

    They cant do anything !!

    • The can play football with you if it’s you kicking the ball… and take drugs with you if it’s you taking drugs … so they can do something…. just being Frank

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