COTSWOLD Council is facing a backlash from residents forced to use roads and pavements cleared with normal, non-boutique salt.
The recent snow and resulting icy conditions have depleted supplies of fragrant Himalayan pink salt needed to grit the superior roads in one of England’s most desirable and pompous areas.
Resident and gilet-wearer Susan Traherne said: “It’s outrageous. It’s the council’s job to ensure the roads are ice-free and suitably upmarket whenever I decide to drive home from the pub pissed.
“The council said they could easily procure normal rock salt, but when the coarse Himalayan grains are crushed by wealthy residents’ SUVs the pink hue casts a delightful shimmer across the tarmac. I think we’d all prefer a few fatal accidents.”
Council leader Helen Archer said: “It’s a frightful mess. We normally have oodles of the finest Himalayan pink for both bad weather and emergencies like people running out before a dinner party.
“Rest assured stocks are being replaced. Obviously pink salt commands a premium price due to being sourced from the Punjab foothills of the Himalayas. But our residents deserve the best, so we’ll just hike the prices on tourist amenities.
“In case there’s a problem we’re looking into loading our gritters with the dried tears of poor people who can’t afford to live here.”
