Locals shocked as six needles found near Farmfoods in Glasgow's Cambridge Street

A member of the Garnethill Neighbourhood Watch was on his way to get some shopping at the Farmfoods store on Cambridge Street when he found six uncapped syringes strewn along and near a stairwell next to the store this week. 

He alerted the situation to group coordinator Bill Beckett, who was on duty.

Mr Beckett said: “Every so often we take a walk up those stairs to see if there are needles lying about. It’s an ongoing issue in this area.

“We contact the council, and they normally attend within an hour and take them away and dispose of them.”

Bill Beckett (Image: Archive)

Images taken by the group show the needles lying on the stairs and ground, as well as smashed bottles of vodka and Buckfast.

Mr Beckett is concerned about the issue of needle use in the area and is keen to discuss the purchase of a gate with the private owners of the stairwell.

He said: “We want to get hold of them and come up with suggestions and ask if they are prepared to pay money for the gate and give keys to whoever needs access.”

It is understood that the stairwell is owned by Fleming House. 

Mr Beckett understands that these needles were removed, but a group member informed him that two more had appeared on the ground level very close to the supermarket the following day.

He said: “Having so many needles there is ridiculous and frightening, and my fear is that a young child running up and down the stairs and falls will become infected.

“It’s hard to know how many people are using the area, but there’s drinking, taking drugs and injecting.

"It’s annoying especially when you’ve got the Hilton hotel there – it’s not a nice attraction or image you want to put forward to passing tourists.”

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “We fully understand the anxiety caused by discarded needles and always seek to have incidents on public property dealt with as a matter of urgency.

“Removing discarded needles from private property is the responsibility of the owner or factor.

“Collecting and disposing of discarded needles should only be undertaken by someone who is properly equipped to do so.”

A spokesperson for Fleming House said: "We organised for a contractor to come and to clear up the drug needles as it is a specialist job.”