• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Thursday September 17 2026

Council says it will use legal powers to force businesses to clean up premises

Businesses in Swindon could be made to clean up their premises, with the local council threatening to use legal powers to compel them.

Swindon’s Big Town Centre Clean-Up was a 10‑day blitz in which more than 250 volunteers cleared litter, fly‑tipped rubbish and overgrown vegetation from key sites across the borough centre.

Organised by Swindon Borough Council, the scheme brought together councillors, council officers and community volunteers alongside staff from local businesses and major employers.

Participating organisations included British Gas, Zurich, UK Shared Business Services, The Brunel Shopping Centre, Penshurst Construction, TSS Total Security Services and Whitecroft Scaffolding & Construction, who joined residents in targeted litter picks and tidy‑ups.

The final push focused on the town centre core and surrounding public spaces.

Volunteers removed bags of litter and larger items of fly‑tipped waste from streets, alleys and open areas, while teams cut back overgrown vegetation that had accumulated around neglected plots.

Around the Tented Market alone, crews cleared roughly 20 Ford Transit van‑fulls of waste, according to the council.

The area around the Wyvern Theatre also received attention, with volunteers tidying grounds and removing debris as part of the effort.

Around 2,000 homeowners and landlords were contacted, urging them to improve the external condition of their buildings.

Some property owners have already responded by removing graffiti and carrying out repairs – including work to a vacant shopfront on The Parade and fixes to the overhang above the former TSB and Second Cup Coffee Company units.

But now the council has warned that landlords who do not act could face formal enforcement, including potential legal action, if problems persist.

In a Facebook post today (Thursday), the council said: “As part of the Big Town Centre Clean-Up, we contacted a number of commercial property owners in the town centre, asking them to play their part in improving the appearance of their buildings.

“Some have already taken positive steps, including removing graffiti and carrying out improvements to their properties. We welcome these efforts, but there is still more to be done and we would like to see others follow their lead.

“We are now following up with owners where action has not yet been taken.

“This includes reminding them that where issues persist and legal powers are available, the Council may consider formal enforcement action to address concerns and help improve the appearance of the town centre.”