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The appearance of the main gateway into Derby city centre has been branded an "eyesore" and compared with a "builders yard", months after temporary barricades were installed.

In September 2025, a number of sandbags were put on Cockpit Island, near Morledge, by the council in a bid to deter "unauthorised parking".

This came after Stephen Bullock, who prefers to be known as Tiggz Dat Author and is also known as the yellow caravan man, was removed from the site.

Since then, the sandbags have remained on the island, and residents have voiced concerns about their appearance.

Sandra Moore, 35, said: "I commute into Derby and it just looks ugly when you come into the city and see those sandbags there.

"No wonder no one wants to come into the city if that's what you're greeted with.

"Some nice planters would go a very long way."

Councillor Steve Hassall compared the site to a "builders yard", saying that "leaving these large bags in place for months at one of the most visible junctions in Derby" was "not good enough".

"This is exactly the sort of thing residents notice," he said.

"It affects how people feel about the city. It gives a poor first impression and adds to the wider concern that parts of Derby are being allowed to look neglected.

"Derby deserves better than temporary eyesores being left in place indefinitely."

A spokesperson for Derby City Council said a plan had been put in place to replace the bags with a permanent barrier - but no start date had yet been said.

"The temporary sandbags were placed on the reservation areas of Cockpit Island as an immediate measure to prevent unauthorised parking and protect road users," they said.

"We understand their appearance is not ideal and want to reassure residents that this is not a permanent solution.

"Our plan is to replace the sandbags with a permanent barrier. Because the site contains underground cables, work is currently in progress to ensure the installation can be carried out safely.

"While we do not yet have a confirmed start date, we are working to finalise things as quickly as possible so the sandbags can be removed."