A property management firm sent letters to residents living in the estate in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire and demanded residents stop their children from drawing on the pavement with chalk. Parents have branded the ban “nonsense” and said it was a “disgrace” that children are being asked not to play the much-loved children’s game outside their own homes. The chair of a residents group said Speirs Gumley, the property firm who sent the letter, should “try to remember” when they were children themselves.

The letter, that was sent after a routine inspection, read: “I notice that children are being allowed to chalk all over the monoblock areas at the front of the development.

“This detracts from the overall appearance of the development; therefore I would ask if these children belong to your family they refrain from this practice immediately.”

However residents said the chalking was not on the monoblock, but on the tarmacked path areas in between townhouses in the development, built by Mactaggart & Mickel.

One local resident, who did not want to be named, told the Evening Times: “It’s a disgrace to say that children chalking hopscotch detracts from the appearance of the development, when we have been raising issues with them regarding things that are more concerning than the estate’s appearance.

We can’t have children having any fun, you never know where it’s going to lead, it could be fun one day and then enjoyment the next. It’s a slippery slope.

Donald Macdonald

“They are having a great time drawing with chalk in the path and it’s not harming anyone.

“As soon as it rains it gets washed off – it’s not as if they are writing graffiti on walls. It’s nonsense for the factor to attempt to crack down on kids just having fun. What next? A curfew?”

Donald Macdonald, chair of the Woodhill Residents Group, said the factor should “try to remember” when they were children themselves.

Mr Macdonald said sarcastically: “We can’t have children having any fun, you never know where it’s going to lead, it could be fun one day and then enjoyment the next. It’s a slippery slope.”

But on a more serious note Mr Macdonald added it is well documented that children are spending too much time indoors and on digital devices.

He said: “The reason people come and live in Bishopbriggs is quite simple, the high quality of the schools attracts young families in the area.

“We want the children to be able to go out and play safely, play responsibly.

“We want children to be encouraged to play outdoors.”

Iain Friel, Speirs Gumley’s managing director told Express.co.uk: “I have to say I am disappointed that such a letter was issued by Speirs Gumley and it was a poor judgement call on our part to do so.

“Admittedly, we do get these type of complaints from time to time in housing developments that we manage and, of course, we recognise that clients in the same development can hold differing views on how to resolve things.

“My view is that common sense should have prevailed and it should have been dealt with more sensitively by us.

“This is all somewhat ironic given that Speirs Gumley is a big supporter of local charity PEEK, whose mission it is to improve the lives of children and young people by unlocking their potential through play and by being creative.

“We will of course be apologising to our clients for the handling of this.”

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