Council considers plans to ban disposable barbecues on the beach
Video report by ITV News Meridian's Malcolm Shaw
New restrictions in Brighton which could see the ban of single-use barbecues on the beach are being considered.
The city council is thinking of banning the disposable barbeques, which say they are not only anti-social, but also dangerous when discarded.
Currently, all beach barbecues are forbidden because of the pandemic.
Brighton and Hove Council says the smoke from the barbecues can be a problem for people nearby, and that they are often left on the beach still hot which can be dangerous.
One resident told ITV Meridian: "We've all had rather a lot of being closed up lately, so no, I don't think they should be banned."
Another said: "If you don't put it out completely, the bricks are red hot, and you can burn your feet on them or dog's feet."
"It causes a load of mess and a load of issues with the bins being on fire because people can't do the basic thing and put them away."
"As long as people dispose of them properly I don't see the problem."
Barbecues are already banned on several sections of the seafront and have been for many years, including the beach between the piers.
Allison Ogden-Newton, the Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy says: "There has to be a way of enjoying the outdoors, celebrating it, sharing it, without damaging it.
"And I think it's very difficult to go out and have a BBQ in a public space without damaging that space."
The council says no final decision has yet been taken, but the first step would be to consult residents.
Visitors would still be able to bring re-usable barbecues to most stretches of the beach, as long as they took them safely home again.