AN angry group of shopkeepers complained about piles of dog dirt outside their premises back in 2008.

The traders said their profits were being hit and slammed environment chiefs for letting their row of shops in Johnstone’s Quarry Street get so bad in the first place.

Businessman Samir Sarder, who owned a newsagents in Quarry Street, said he had been out with a shovel every day to clear the poo.

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He added: “This place is a mess and business is suffering.

“I have been here ten years and I’ve never seen it so bad.

“I have to go out and scrape up the dog mess every day and so do some of the others who work here.

“Litter is also a big problem now.

“People should not drop litter and they should clean up after their pets but council cleaners used to come out more in the past.

“It is us shopkeepers who are cleaning up.

“The row of shops is mostly owned by Renfrewshire Council but this street used to be cleaned and better maintained.

“I have seen it gradually get into a worse state down the years.”

However, Councillor Marie McGurk, who was Renfrewshire’s environment boss, said at the time: “There have been no cutbacks in our efforts to clean up local streets.

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“In fact, we are in the middle of a £2.7million campaign to encourage people to play their part in keeping Renfrewshire clean.

“Every weekend, Renfrewshire Council employees pick up litter.”