Summer is once more upon us and so is the all too familiar problem of the invasion of the best bits of public beaches that is “occupied” by deck chairs and umbrellas “for hire”.

These deck chairs and umbrellas should be forbidden from the beach area unless actually hired and paid for.

It should also be the choice of the individual where to site it, within the limits of the concession area, of course.

These arrogant concessionaires must surely think that they own the good parts of the beach. They, thus, rob other users of open beach every day from dawn until the sun sets.

It really is a dereliction of duty on the part of the relevant authorities that these concession operators are allowed to operate in the way they do.

With modern photographic equipment, evidence can be collected and presented, to courts, if need be, for the rogue operators to be held to the terms of their franchise.

Revocation of the permit for a second offence should be automatic and a disqualification period of five years against holding another permit should be awarded.

One wonders what would happen should someone wish to use a part of the beach occupied by an unhired sun lounger or umbrella and insisted that the concession holder removed the items so that the individual could enjoy that particular part of the beach.

It is an act that I, personally, would be willing to carry out and beggar the outcome. I would stand my ground and invite the presence of the police and I would only back down if proof of ownership on the part of the concession operator were evident for that part of the beach.

Too many people just allow these bullies to carry on as if they were the lawful owners of public property and the authorities are, to my mind, complicit by their inaction to enforce the terms of the concession or to remove unauthorised operators.