From the early morning hours of Thursday, municipality crews of Kassandra municipality in Halkidiki, northern Greece, carried out a large-scale beach clean-up removing unattended sea beds, umbrellas, and towels left behind by beach-goers attempting to reserve spots overnight.
The operation at the popular beaches of Kallithea and Polychrono started at 6 am without previous warning by the Municipality and lasted just over two hours.
The Municipality of Kassandra had merely informed that controls will be intensified and the objects that illegally and arbitrary occupy the public space of the beaches will be removed.
Among the object removed were fixed or permanent umbrellas, sun loungers, towels and improvised structures, without a permit or concession.
According to local officials, approximately two tons of beach equipment were collected during the sweep.
Kassandra deputy mayor Pavlos Pantzikis informed that the confiscated items cannot be claimed by their owners but will instead be sent to recycling units.
Pantzikis also noted that similar operations will follow at other beaches across the municipality.
Despite repeated warnings, many beach visitors have continued to leave personal items on the sand overnight, prompting authorities to step in and enforce regulations aimed at keeping public beaches accessible to all.
Many beach-goers had complained that all these stuff left at the beach overnight hardly leave an inch of free space for other people to settle at the beach or even to walk around.
In some some cases, even “hospitality” services are reportedly offered, blatantly violating the public nature of the beaches.
This is reportedly a relative new habit in Halkidiki to reserve the best places at the beach over night, in the customary good old habit of German and British tourists leaving their towels at the swimming pool sunbeds over night.
