'We've given control to the gulls!' Council surrenders in war on seagulls 'colonising' historic city

A council appears to have conceded defeat in its war against a plague of seagulls "colonising" an historic city.

Locals in Inverness can no longer safely use outdoor spaces thanks to the "epidemic" of birds, according to a local councillor.

Liberal Democrat Alasdair Christie, representing Ness-side, voiced his frustration at a council meeting on Monday.

"I see people that can't use the cafes, can't use the pavements. I see people in the bus queues who can't eat outside because of the gulls," he said.

"The gulls have won."

Mr Christie warned that measures to tackle the bird problem fall far short of what is needed.

The seabirds have been accused of dive-bombing pedestrians, raiding rubbish bins and disturbing sleep with their early morning noise.

Highland Council has unveiled plans to address the issue through gull-resistant bins and audio-visual deterrents designed to discourage rooftop nesting.

Its senior environmental officer, Eleanor Hood, said the strategy aims to eliminate urban food sources, encouraging birds to relocate.

"We are not anti-gull, we are looking for a balanced approach," she said.

Ms Hood said tackling the problem needs both the public and local businesses to chip in.

"We can't do this alone," she said, adding that change was "not going to happen overnight."

The council maintains it wants to discourage gulls from areas where they come into contact with people rather than targeting the birds entirely.

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Fellow councillors echoed Mr Christie's concerns in equally stark terms.

Labour's Michael Gregson, representing Inverness Central, said the gulls were an "epidemic" that had "colonised our city".

While Highland Alliance councillor Duncan McPherson, who represents Inverness South, noted the birds can live between 32 and 35 years, calling it a "prison sentence" for local residents.

Mr McPherson questioned the council's priorities directly.

"Do the gulls have the vote and do the gulls pay business rates?" he jabbed.

"Because it would appear that the gulls are being treated better than the people of this area."

The Inverness Business Improvement District (Bid) previously ran an egg and nest removal programme in the city centre to curb gull numbers.

But the organisation withdrew from this initiative earlier this year after funding ran out.

Mr McPherson praised the Bid's previous efforts and warned the council's new proposals did not go far enough.

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