Barclays wants to install electric shock system at Bridlington branch to stop kittiwakes roosting

Barclays has submitted plans for an “electronic bird deterrent” system and spikes to stop kittiwakes roosting at its branch in Bridlington.

The bank wants to install the system on the roof ledges at the back of the Manor Street branch, which “delivers a small electric shock to deter pest birds from unwanted areas”.

Planning documents, submitted to East Riding of Yorkshire Council, say the shock “in no way harms the bird” and works in a similar way to an agricultural electric fence.

It comes after the nearby TSB bank had to shut temporarily for repairs in August after nests damaged the roof, leading to a major leak.

A Scarborough resident who has been using an electronic system on a property said it delivers a 24-volt shock for a millisecond, adding: “The birds land on it once and don’t come back.”