A CAFE has told how male drivers are costing them £100 a week in takings – because they’re putting customers off their food by having sex nearby.
The owners of Big Baps cafe, in a layby just of the M62, are calling for Calderdale Council to restrict parking because its become a public sex hotspot.
Amanda Bisset says the car park is being “misused” by men who are meeting up to go dogging in a woodland behind the cafe.
Dogging is a British slang term of having sex in public while other people watch.
The practice usually occurs in car parks and woodland and frequently involves strangers in an either active or voyeuristic role.
Amanda says she sees “two or three doggers” every morning while serving customers their breakfast.
She claims the cafe loses about £100 per week due to customers being unable to find a parking spot.
She says an officer came to the cafe to discuss the problem, but no actions have taken place.
She told Yorkshire Live: “He reluctantly went for a walk (around) and said they would patrol but I have not seen anything since.”
Amanda has been asking the council to put up signs, and limit parking to two hours.
She explained: “It’s something they are aware of but it’s not a priority.
“They might put some signs up in one or two years.”
In the meantime, she has been putting her own homemade signs on vehicles parked outside the cafe.
The notes say: “Please do not leave your car in this layby. You should only park here for a maximum of two hours.
“By parking here, it prevents key workers from parking for a well-deserved rest and a meal break.”
However, the warning signs haven’t gone down well with everyone.
She said: “One man came in and said ‘what’s this’. We told him it was a polite notice and why we left it there.
“He said ‘I don’t give a s**t about the key workers – people should leave us alone. He was here to go down the back (to the public sex meeting place).”
Amanda says “sex litter” – like condoms and condom wrappers – has also been a problem – and has been putting customers off their food.
She said: “Sex litter is still an issue.
“It has been cold and wet and I don’t think there’s a lot of romance when it’s cold – but it still goes on.”
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She added: “We are losing money. I would say more than £100 per week easily.”
The Sun has approached West Yorkshire Police and Calderdale Council for comment.
