Leigh St restaurants in a flap over tree martin filth

Customers and staff are slipping, falling and getting hurt outside some of the city’s most up-market venues but owners say their solutions keep getting shot down.

Ataliah Milne Manager of Shobosho in Leigh Street with umbrellas they have to clean every morning due to Tree Martin droppings. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Customers and hospitality staff are slipping in bird poo outside some of the city’s most up-market venues in Leigh St.

The problem was first revealed by The Advertiser four years ago, but despite protests from traders no solution has been found.

Making the daily mess, which must be cleaned every day by Council and venue staff, is a flock of tree martins that nest every night in two ornamental pear trees.

Shobosho owner Emma Kardachi said she has proposed a solution, but Adelaide City Council will not approve moving one of the trees so an awning can be erected.

“The birds drop their excrement and feathers over our tables, into our food, and on to our customers,’’ she said.

Hundreds of native tree martins nest in Leigh Street. Picture: Dean Martin

A fire hydrant covered in bird poo outside Sho in Leigh St. Picture: Miles Kemp

“The excrement, mixed with any level of rain, also causes the pavers to become dangerously slippery.

“The rain run-off, which we can’t effectively control with our umbrellas, is in fact the cause of a current WorkCover claim.

“A staff member, wearing rubber-soled shoes, slipped and now requires ankle surgery as a result.

“Multiple customers have also slipped over in the same manner, which we have had to compensate.”

A Council spokesman said it was aware of the issue and had organised to meet with the building owner to look for solutions to the problem.

But four years ago it would only commit to more cleaning, with a spokeswoman stating: “We are currently reviewing the cleaning regime and obtaining more feedback from traders in order to adjust our cleaning methods and trial different options”.

Hundreds of tree martins nest every night, leaving a carpet of bird poo in a large section of the street.

“The hygiene, safety, and business implications are large, and increasing,” Ms Kardachi said.

Deputy Lord Mayor Phillip Martin during an Adelaide City Council. Picture: Brenton Edwards/file

She raised the issue after Deputy Lord Mayor Phillip Martin took the council to task for not scrubbing city footpaths enough.

While Rundle Mall is scrubbed every day by a street sweeper, other streets are done once or twice in a fortnight.

Ms Kardachi said daily Leigh Street cleaning could not keep up with the mess.

“We have made submissions to the council to help deter the bird population on the street, or let us install a marquee (that we would take in each night), which would be much more effective against the bird excrement, all of these options have been rejected,’’ she said.

Other traders in the street are also trying to have the problem solved, and use umbrellas and awnings to try and stem the tide.

They want the issue solved as part of current street improvement works.