SMELLY bins are getting up business owners’ noses.

Shop owners in Brighton Place, Brighton, are angry because bins from a neighbouring restaurant are being left outside their premises.

During the Hanningtons Estate redevelopment project, large waste bins from Italian restaurant Donatello have been left in the road causing what traders describe as “unpleasant smells and sights”.

The bins have been in Brighton Place for about a week, but traders fear they could be there longer and affect trade.

Frank Taylor, owner of Cult Hero record store, said the smell from the bins was already causing problems.

He said: “It’s affecting my business and it’s affecting others on the street as well.

“Last weekend was Record Store Day and the smell may have put customers off coming here.

“It’s not so bad when the bins have been collected but when it’s sunny and they’ve been left a while it stinks.

“This is a lovely street, people have wedding photos taken here. It’s becoming a problem.”

Paul McGrath, owner of Cloud 9 coffee shop, said there needed to be a better solution.

He said: “It’s ridiculous, you can’t have a bin in the public highway like that.

“I’ve been here for nine years and I didn’t take the lease for bins to be outside the shop.

“I don’t know how many people have chosen or will choose to come up the road because of this.

“I get they’ve got to put their bins somewhere but they have never been put there before.”

Hanningtons Estate said it was its decision to move the bins to the side street while work is completed on the new lane.

A spokeswoman said: “The moving of the bins is temporary and they will be moved once work is completed.”

Sue Addis, the owner of Donatello, said she had explained the situation to her neighbours.

She said: “We have moved our bins out of the store as the Hanningtons development people are working there.

“I have someone to clean them every day after the bin men empty them seven days a week.

“They are ugly but not smelly.

“They are not taking up the street.”

A statement from Brighton and Hove City Council said: “An enforcement officer attended the street very soon after we received the first complaints from the other shops owners.

“The waste had been collected and the area was clear.

“Donatello hasn’t breached any rules.”