Concerns had been raised over pigeons being trapped inside the shopping centre’s roof netting, reports James Cracknell

Pigeons had been getting trapped in netting at The Spires (inset credit Nandkumar Patel via Unsplash)

The manager of The Spires Shopping Centre promised to fix roof netting designed to prevent pigeons roosting after animal welfare groups raised concerns over birds being trapped.

Denise Theophilus from campaign group Foundation for Feathered Friends raised the alarm on 8th January after a trapped pigeon was seen within the netted area, while another was dead.

The RSPCA was also notified of the incident, as any company that installs netting to deter pigeons or other birds has an obligation to properly maintain it under The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981.

A property manager for The Spires later replied to say that “recent poor weather” had caused some of the netting to become unsecured but that the matter was being dealt with “urgently” and the netting would be fixed to prevent pigeons gaining access in future.

The manager also said previous “remedial works” to install more netting were completed last year and further works have been planned between January and February this year to improve other areas and prevent pigeon access – and that the team had “spoken directly with the RSPCA to keep them updated as well”.

Asked to comment, a spokesperson for Savills, the managing agent of The Spires, added: “Savills can confirm that a contractor attended the site in order to release the pigeon.

“In addition, remedial works to the netting are being undertaken to avoid this issue happening again and the centre team has implemented regular visual checks to ensure any future incidents are dealt with promptly.”

Denise from Foundation for Feathered Friends welcomed the response from Savills to release the trapped pigeon and fix the netting but said: “This happens in shopping centres, shops, hospitals, football stadiums, schools – you name it – more than you could ever imagine. And certainly more than it ever should given the history of the poor pigeon.”

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