Hospital neighbours share gripes about dog-ends, discarded face masks and noise

Neighbours complained about piles of cigarette ends and face masks in the streets and a “cacophony” of noise from hospital workers and builders.

They called for hospital bosses to take action to deal with the problems at a public meeting last night (Monday 4 April).

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People living on Brighton’s Bristol Estate said that Royal Sussex County Hospital workers were taking breaks sitting on steps leading from Bristol Gate to Chadborn Close and leaving face masks and dog-ends on the ground.

Louisa Newbury, who represented the estate at a meeting of the Hospital Liaison Group, held in Eastern Road, said that she had to rescue a gull caught up in a face mask that hadn’t been put in a bin.

She said: “If there was seating lower down, people would sit there rather than on the steps.

“The minute they block the steps half the time, you can’t use them, especially as people don’t want to walk past others that close.”

Labour councillor Nancy Platts, who represents East Brighton on Brighton and Hove City Council, suggested placing a few bench tables to free up the steps and give staff somewhere to sit.

There were large general waste and recycling bins near by, Councillor Platts said, adding that the litter left on the grass and the ground was “disgusting”.

Walpole Road resident Rob Donaldson said that there was no escape from the noise generated by vehicles and a street sweeper.

Mr Donaldson asked for a break in the street sweeper use at the weekend as it was within the hospital’s control.

He said that clattering from a broken inspection cover every five minutes and noise from the road sweeper from the early morning seven days a week was “torture”.

Mr Donaldson said: “Saturday and Sunday, we have the road sweeper. There was a bottle in the gutter. Did it pick it up? No. The machine doesn’t have eyes.

“Outside the entrance, it’s just covered in cigarette butts. There used to be a guy there sweeping it up.

“It’s the noise of it. It used to start at 6.20am. I’ve had to make more complaints. And it’s even going on at Christmas.”

An art installation at the Whitehawk Hill Road end of the hospital grounds by the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital also makes a noise, the meeting was told.

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And children can enter the hospital grounds and hit sound-making objects in the sensory garden without being either a patient or visitor.

Councillor Platts, who chaired the meeting, said: “It is really bad. There is no break from the cacophony of noise going on. There needs to be a time when there’s a break for residents.”

She shared Mr Donaldson’s frustration at the lack of response to his complaints and asked hospital bosses to give residents a timeline for when the hospital team would fix it.

University Hospitals Sussex director of estates and facilities David McLaughlin said that the inspection cover would be replaced in the next two months.