Dive-bombing gulls ruffle the feathers of Vistas Cafe owner

Dive-bombing gulls have been causing havoc for customers at Vistas Beach Cafe, as well as injuring themselves.

The owners of the establishment have put signs up asking customers not to take food up there, but are now looking at ways to combat the problem.

The owner of Vistas, Nick Percy, said he did not have much choice in his decision.

‘We’ve stopped customers from eating upstairs due to our experiences over the last few years,’ he said.

‘We’ve been here six years now, the first year was fine, second year they started to suss it out and over the last couple of years they’ve interfered.

‘They dive-bomb down, straight in, they aren’t that intelligent though because they can’t get back out.

‘They’d get stuck and smash against the glass, we’d find blood and all sorts up there.

‘Of course, they’d also be nicking people’s food and, if a table hadn’t been cleared quick enough, it’s a bomb site.

‘So I decided last year no food upstairs, just drinks, coffees, beers etc.’

Mr Percy is considering ways of keeping the gulls at bay.

‘We plan on rectifying the problem as soon as possible with either wire or netting, as it works elsewhere,’ he said.

‘Short of someone up there shooing them away all the time, there isn’t much else we can do for the moment.

‘It’s a real shame that customers can’t eat up there.’

Mr Percy believed he knew the reason the gulls had been targeting Vistas.

‘This all stems from someone feeding the birds every day for years. They would put bread up along the wall,’ he said.

‘The seagulls know it’s a feeding station, so they’ve been coming back for years and years.

‘We know the seagull that does it the most, he’s got red markings on his face, we’ll see if he comes back this year.

‘The decking out the back which was OK for food is still open, but they’ve started to suss that out as well, they all line up along the rail. We are now having to forever shoo them away.’

Although some customers have been disappointed at not being able to take in the views from Vistas roof terrace while they eat, Mr Percy did not believe it would cause any damage to business.

‘Some customers have moaned like mad,’ he said. ‘But I think they would moan more if they’re just having a bite from a burger and a seagull comes snappy, snappy.’

‘I don’t think it will affect business, maybe a couple of people might think “I’m not going there”.

‘I do feel sorry for the seagulls, but they’re flying vermin and they can go away.’