Here's why bird feeding has been banned in Ripon Market Square

A notice has gone up in the Market Square to share the news, which reads: "Prohibited bird feeding until further notice - in the interest of environmental health, the feeding of birds in the Ripon market place area is not permitted."

City council clerk, Paula Benson, told the 'Gazette this morning: "The number of pigeons in the Market Square has increased, and it's causing a problem for some of the shops and some of the market traders. This council is looking into what it can do to reduce the number of pigeons potentially.

"It is affecting businesses and market traders in Ripon, so we are looking at what we can do to deal with it. Pigeons are flying into shops and obviously there's the problem of pigeon poo around the Square, it's just not very nice."

Prohibiting bird feeding is a move that the city council hopes will stop attracting large numbers of pigeons to the Market Square.

As the Market Square is managed by Harrogate Borough Council, the city council said they are looking to work together with HBC to deal with the issue. The city council has mentioned the possibility of looking into flying hawks to deter pigeons.

Harrogate Borough Council has been approached for comment.