AN Ipswich café owner today hit out at the council for failing to collect bags of rubbish from outside his business.Former Ipswich Witches speedway rider Ted Howgego, 55, who runs the Rendevous Café in Queen's Way, Racecourse, says refuse collectors often don't pick up rubbish from outside the parade of shops leaving them to fester.

AN Ipswich café owner today hit out at the council for failing to collect bags of rubbish from outside his business.

Former Ipswich Witches speedway rider Ted Howgego, 55, who runs the Rendevous Café in Queen's Way, Racecourse, says refuse collectors often don't pick up rubbish from outside the parade of shops leaving them to fester.

“The rubbish stacks up right outside my shop and it is an ongoing thing,” Mr Howgego said.

“It could be an environmental issue. There could be rats about.

“All the business owners along the road are concerned about it.”

Mr Howgego said the problem is caused by residents in the flats above who, on seeing green bags of trade waste outside, leave their own black bags out for collection.

He said domestic waste is scheduled to be picked up every other week unlike trade waste which is picked up weekly.

“When people see our green bags out for collection they start putting their black bags out for collection and they just aren't picked up,” Mr Howgego said.

The confusion means bags are blighting the pavement for weeks at a time.

“I would like to put the message across to the council that we have got a massive problem up here,” Mr Howgego said.

“I have spoken to them on numerous occasions but they have not done anything,” he added.

A spokesman for Ipswich Borough Council said: “Refuse collections are made on a fortnightly-basis as opposed to trade waste collections which are made on a different system.

“We would ask residents not to put their bags out every week but to put them out for collection fortnightly along with other residents.”

WEBLINK: www.ipswich.gov.uk

What do you think of this situation? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.