The Southampton International Boat Show is tackling chip thievery head-on by hiring the UK’s most famous hawk as ‘Head of Seagull Security’ to deter seagulls and create a space where visitors can enjoy their chips in peace. 

Rufus the Hawk, who also patrols Wimbledon every year, aims to keep the skies seagull free at this year’s show and to create a ‘safe chip zone’ for everyone to enjoy. The move comes after new research by the Southampton International Boat Show concluded that seagulls have been responsible for the theft of over 60 million chips.1,2 Nearly two in five (37%) UK adults have been victims of thievery, averaging 3.1 chips per theft.

How many chips have seagulls stolen in the UK?

  • If the average chip is 7cm, the number of chips stolen by seagulls in the UK would stretch from Southampton to Canada if laid end to end3
  • If the average chip weighs 15 grams, the number of chips stolen would weigh the equivalent of 74 London buses4

The decision to hire Rufus was sealed after it came to light that a staggering 81% of Brits have had to develop their own tactics to keep their chips safe from seagulls. Over one in five have even ditched the beach, opting to eat their chips away from areas where they might be stolen. A sixth (14%) have quit the chips completely, picking their seaside treats based on what seagulls are less likely to nick.

Rufus will have to be on the ball as he patrols the shoreline, as his new jurisdiction will include a lot of places where Brits fear their chips are most likely to be pilfered. Shoreside picnic benches are the most worrisome spots, with nearly two-fifths (19%) keeping their eyes on the skies. Meanwhile, 16% are on edge while chomping chips on marinas and piers and 15% on walking down the promenade.

Southampton also has one of the highest seagull related chip theft rates in the UK, with 44% experiencing this, more than other south-coast seaside towns of Brighton & Hove and Plymouth (39% and 32% respectively).

Rufus will be on duty on Saturday 14th September. Members of the public will also have the opportunity to meet him and get pictures with the UK’s hardest working seagull security.

Get your ticket

Get your discounted Southampton International Boat Show tickets – save £10 with promo code AAS2024.

Tickets for the Boat Show can be purchased online at www.southamptonboatshow.com/visitor-information/tickets/

Don’t forget, with every adult general admission ticket, two children under 17 go for free. Plus new for 2024, Young adults aged 18-21 also enjoy free admission, making this an accessible event for families and young enthusiasts alike.

Want to make your visit extra special? Treat yourself with the Quayside Club package – https://www.southamptonboatshow.com/vip/

The show is open from 10am – 6pm daily except on the final Sunday when the show will close at 5pm.  The Shipyard will remain open until 9pm on both Saturday 14 and Saturday 21 September.

1 Consumer research was carried out online by Research Without Barriers between 30th July and 1st August 2024, with a sample consisting of 2,000 UK adults

2 UK adult population (18+) stands at 53,676,668 according to https://www.statista.com/statistics/281174/uk-population-by-age/, with 37% having had chips stolen by seagulls. Multiplied by the average number of chips stolen for each UK adult (3.1) equals 61,530,291 chip thefts

3 Assuming the average length of a chip is 7cm, laying 61,530,291 chips end to end would equal 2,676.3 miles, which is the distance from Southampton, UK to Halifax, Canada

4 Assuming the average weight of a chip is 15 grams, the total wight of 61,530,291 chips is 922,954,365 grams (or 922,954.4 kilograms / 923 tonnes). The average weight of a London bus is 12.4 tonnes (https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/questions-mayor/find-an-answer/new-bus-london-vehicle-weight-1#:~:text=The%20unladen%20weight%20of%20New,a%20maximum%20of%2018.0%20tonnes), meaning it is the equivalent of 74.4 London buses 

 

The post CHIPWATCH: SHOW HIRES HAWK TO KEEP VISITORS’ CHIPS SAFE FROM SEAGULLS appeared first on All At Sea.