RECYLING containers described by a local councillor as "the worst possible welcome for tourists" in Newent could soon be a thing of the past.

Improvements to rubbish and household waste collections in the Forest of Dean could soon see the eye-sore recycling containers gone from one of Newent’s most picturesque and iconic locations, the lakeside.

Thanks to changes to kerbside recycling services, brought in last month (August) by Forest of Dean District Council, plastic bottles, cardboard, and textiles all now able to be collected from outside residents' houses.

This means that the recycling containers on the car park and entrance to Newent Lake could soon be no more than an unhappy memory.

Forest of Dean councillor Len Lawton (Conservative, Newent Central) has long been calling for the removal of the recycling containers that take up valuable space in the Newent Lake car park.

He said: "Not only do the containers take up valuable car parking spaces that local residents could use, they are also the worst possible welcome for tourists to the town.

“As Newent’s main car park it is the location that most visitors to the area stop in. It is hardly the kind of message we want to be sending to visitors that we want to stay in the area and spend their money.”

Cllr Lawton has been in contact with District Council officers and has already secured the removal of some of the containers. His hope is for those that are left to be removed in the near future.

He added: "I've had confirmation from officers that some of the recycling containers were being removed.

“Once residents get used to the new kerbside recycling scheme, when the collections are and exactly what they can include in it, I hope that the rest of the containers that take up space in the car park can also be removed.”

He said: "When we were unable to recycle things like textiles and plastics on the kerbside the containers in the car park served an important service, even if they were located in a less than ideal location. Now the recycling units provide a duplicate service as well as being an eye-sore. I hope they will all be gone shortly so the town gets the rest of its car park back.”