Commercial waste Lordship Lane

[hjt32]

Hi All,

Apologies if there have been other threads about this. I am really concerned and quite scared about vermin for those of us that live close to the high street. I know they are something we have to accept to an extent but it feels like they are currently being given a welcome and easy ride…I have recently sent the below email to Southwark council, if you feel the similarly I’d encourage you to do the same…  [email protected]

if you have suggestions of others I can be in touch with please let me know…

Dear Southwark Council,

I live at xxxx and am seriously concerned about the way commercial shop and restaurant waste is managed on Lordship Lane high street. Most businesses put their rubbish out on the pavement at the end of the day in Southwark bin bags, which are collected the following morning. 
Most mornings they have been ripped open by vermin (rats and foxes) with food waste across the pavements and a slick of oily stains. For those of us that live close to the high street there is a hygiene concern about the state of the pavements and the rats in our gardens and potentially entering and damaging our homes and cars and as well as the risks of illness. 

Please advise if you will be reviewing the arrangements to move to a bin system to help with the issue?? Particularly in light of this news on the vast increase of rats in our cities:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gvk397j80o

All best,
Xxxx

[CPR Dave]

If you are aware of rats being present, you might let the restaurants know too. 

[Sue]

I'm wondering if bins aren't possible due to storage issues (if there is nowhere to put them apart from blocking up the pavement)?

Because I would have thought they would have been used otherwise?

But I can't think of another solution, unless it's possible to get some kind of vermin proof bags, possibly reusable?

Alternatively, to get the rubbish collected earlier, which might help to some extent?

Edited September 26 by Sue

[hjt32]

8 minutes ago, CPR Dave said:

If you are aware of rats being present, you might let the restaurants know too. 

Do you think it’s possible they aren’t present? 

1 minute ago, Sue said:

I'm wondering if bins aren't possible due to storage issues (if there is nowhere to put them apart from blocking up the pavement)?

Because I would have thought they would have been used otherwise?

But I can't think of another solution, unless it's possible to get some kind of vermin proof bags, possibly reusable?

I think you are probably right that bin location is an issue. But the current system is not working. 

[Azalea]

They need to be collected at night like in Westminster but doubt that will happen.

[CPR Dave]

On 26/09/2025 at 13:57, hjt32 said:

Do you think it’s possible they aren’t present? 

I've no idea. You seem a lot closer to he issue though and  I think if you mentioned it to the businesses concerned that they would very likely want it resolved before it went any further?

[nivag]

8 hours ago, Azalea said:

They need to be collected at night like in Westminster but doubt that will happen.

Some people will then moan about the noise of the collection at night.

[alice]

14 hours ago, Azalea said:

They need to be collected at night like in Westminster but doubt that will happen.

Lewiston manages to collect at night at least on Sydenham Road (flats above shops and gf businesses )

(also Ryelane)

Edited September 28 by alice

[Azalea]

2 hours ago, alice said:

Lewiston manages to collect at night at least on Sydenham Road (flats above shops and gf businesses )

(also Ryelane)

That is useful to know.  Maybe councillors could help.

[hjt32]

The council did reply to my email quite quickly and said they would discuss it with the team… I suggested end of day collection or lockable shared bins at the top of each side road. 
No reply to that yet.