Paphos People

From today's Cyprus Mail. What illegal kiosks have they removed?

"CONCERTED efforts are underway in Paphos to get rid of illegal hoardings, billboards and other structures to create a tidier image, the head of the Paphos regional board of tourism said on Monday.

Nasos Hadjigeorgiou told the Cyprus Mail a meeting to discuss ‘visual pollution’ was held at the Paphos district office last week.

“The aim is to enhance the building environment in several areas in the town and other communities and there are some areas which require more effort than others,” said Hadjigeorgiou.

The two areas that are recognised as a priority are the road connecting Paphos to the airport and the road that connects Paphos to popular Coral Bay.

“We have received a number of complaints from tour operators and travellers in particular mentioning these two areas, which some describe as disgusting.”

Work began in both areas on Sunday to remove illegal advertising boards, as well as illegally built kiosks and street food vendors outlets. The tourism head said that no-one has been monitoring these areas and people have been doing ‘whatever they want’.

“Now is the time to keep Paphos tidy and free of visual pollution,” he reiterated.

“The district office has now committed to take a more aggressive and better approach towards that end.”

The campaign, he noted has been ongoing in the district for the last five years.

Present at the meeting, along with Mary Lambrou, the district officer of Paphos, were other officials including those from the local tourism board, the president of the union of communities, and representatives of Paphos hoteliers’ association.

Lambrou briefed the attendees on the actions taken by the district office to improve the current situation and expressed her willingness to further cooperate.

It was agreed that the district administration in collaboration with the community councils will step up practical measures to remove illegal and ‘rough’ constructions, as well as non-licensed billboards located along the district’s road network.

The chairman of the regional board of tourism, George Mais, also attended the meeting and informed the participants that negative comments from tour operators called for immediate measures, especially with regard to the removal of illegal constructions and billboards.

“There are no excuses anymore. Action has to be more aggressive and then we will see how to proceed as an ongoing campaign,” said Hadjigeorgiou."

This is like a bad joke. It is not just billboards, but what about the boards outside shops on the pavement,
that state "Customer parking only", when it is a public road? One of the worst is a tyre depot in Old Paphos,
nearly opposite the Spirou shop, that continually has two piles of tyres IN THE ROAD, day and night, to stop anyone,
other than customers, from parking there. The so called wonderful Mayor, also needs to sort out the very large
sign at his favourite restaurant on The Tomb of the Kings Road, after having every other sign knocked down!
Yet again, this is SELECTIVE prohibition.

Are they going to get rid of the fluorescent lights pointing straight out into the street, I find them to be a hazard !

Soon going to look like the uk with all the caracter taken out of Paphos
Very sad...the signs are doing no harm
And are the little fruit stalls at the side of the road now going to disappear as well?

Very sad

Well said

Last night a mate called in whilst I was reading this article, he asked what I was reading so I showed him.

He said have you ever been to Thailand, Thailand no was my reply, it is worse there than Cyprus.
If you remove things like this you will sanitise the area and lose its charm and appeal, having visited me several times when I lived there he said Cyprus is becoming clones of the Med and that is not what the tourist want.

Be careful what you wish for.

I agree, would do better in cleaning the gang slogans and spray paint first.

Absolutely right, especially along the harbour front where there is loads of graffiti on the
benches and stonework.