Residents living in a remote Highland glen are calling for a council bylaw to bring to an end all-night parties, bonfires and discarded rubbish.
Glen Etive, made famous to a new generation in the James Bond movie Skyfall, has suffered yet another weekend of yob culture, with groups of people leaving behind general rubbish, human waste, clothes and even the tents they were sleeping in.
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Now the local councillor is calling for an alcohol ban after the sheer volume of rubbish and debris being left behind every night.
Lochaber area committee chairman councillor, Andrew Baxter, described Glen Etive as “party central” as he vowed to raise the issue with his colleagues in a bid to reopen a debate on creating a local bylaw to curb anti-social behaviour.
He said: “Working with residents, about five years ago, we arranged to put big industrial bins in at the end of the glen. You know what happened? People ignored them and left tents and other rubbish across the entire area while walking, or driving straight past the bins.”
“These are not countryside lovers – these litter louts are very selfish people that are spoiling it for everyone else.”
Mr Baxter continued: “In the past we have looked into introducing a bylaw about drinking alcohol in public. At times Glen Etive is like party central and perhaps legislation that outlaws drinking in public, just like we have in Kinlochleven, would make the difference.
“This has been resisted in the past, but it is quite likely that it needs to be revisited.”
Resident John Sinclair, a passionate advocate for the repopulation of the glen said different tactics had to be considered.
Mr Sinclair told the Press and Journal: “We want people to come and use the glen – but it is time there were community powers to allow us to take action against the minority of users who abuse it.”
Resident Mark Shone, who runs Facebook group Glen Etive – The Dirty Truth, told the P&J: “What little infrastructure there is -roads, bins etc – in the glen isn’t capable of withstanding the current pressure and I foresee it getting a lot worse before it gets better.
“We don’t want to see an end to wild camping in Glen Etive and welcome people that practice responsible access. I don’t know what the answer is long term.”
