With gull netting often seen as an expensive solution to a problem, a pest control company said that while costs are obviously an important factor in gull control, this often forces companies to consider cheaper alternatives.
“While some methods can help control a population over a period of time, our client noticed the ‘real’ difference in costs,” said Joseph Trotman, managing director of Commercial Bird Control in Gloucestershire.
“Visual or audio deterrents do work in some scenarios and in the short term may provide noticeable results, however, over the long-term netting was certainly the more cost-effective solution. With the help of CBC, several factors were considered by our client. The long-term effect of netting of other systems, previous years had shown in increase in cleaning/nest removal visits, which indicated the local population wasn’t decreasing as they hoped.”
Mr Trotman said that previously netting had been installed to a poor standard, stanchions damaged roofs and caused leaks, as they were fixed to the roof structure, and stanchions placed too far apart putting additional strain on the system.
“These aspects along with the fact they had to have a new roof installed lead them to invest in the long term benefits of a professionally installed netting system,” he said.
“Yes, these works do sometimes come at a cost that your client may not have accounted for, but it’s not just a cost, it’s an investment. They invested in protecting their new roof, they invested in compliance, the invested in protecting local gull species, they invested in the long-term protection of their business.”