FURIOUS hotel staff are up in arms over the "soul-destroying" task of clearing up a "build-up of sand" on their beachfront terrace.
Staff at Sandbanks Hotel in Poole, Dorset dismissed complaints from customers who have said "you're on a beach, deal with it".
Hotelier John Butterworth slammed his local council for not doing enough after his terrace steps became "buried in sand".
He said: "We have been here as a family-run business for over 60 years and this hotel alone pays at least £4,000 in council tax a week."
"All we ask is that they clear the build-up of sand to stop it coming over – but they just won't." John told the Bournemouth Echo.
He claims the "council bulldozers" are already clearing an area near to a block of public toilets, but are not helping his business.
Jo Clements, John's colleague, said: "I'm so angry, it's soul-destroying. This sets a very poor example to our visitors.
"This terrace is also used for a takeaway pizza facility for people on the beach, how are they supposed to reach it when the steps are buried in sand?
"People will say, 'you're on a beach, deal with it'. It's not about that, it's about the council not maintaining it."
Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Council said that it isn't responsible for clearing sand away from John's hotel.
A council spokesperson said: "We are aware of the Sandbanks Hotel's concerns about banked sand on the beach close to their terrace.
"Our seafront team have now been able to carry out the beach-clearing activity in this area, resulting in the removal of the bulk of sand in front of the hotel.
"Due to the caution required, so damage is not caused to the wall, there is likely to still be some build-up of sand remaining against the wall as the tractor cannot scrape along it."
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