Warwick residents' Christmas '˜spoilt' by travellers

Warwick residents' Christmas has been '˜spoilt' after the on-going issues with travellers.
A caravan left behind by travellers near Tachbrook Park last week.A caravan left behind by travellers near Tachbrook Park last week.
A caravan left behind by travellers near Tachbrook Park last week.

Last week concerns were rapidly growing after travellers moved onto two sites near Hampton Road.

It was then revealed that Warwick councillor Martyn Ashford was threatened by the travellers when he tried assess the area where they had settled.

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Acting on residents’ concerns Coun Ashford went to the sites the travellers were occupying last Wednesday to assess the issue but when he started to take photos he became surrounded by travellers who then went on to threaten him.

Coun Ashford said: “I started taking photos and then I was surrounded by travellers and they basically intimidated me and asked that I deleted the photos I had taken. Then one of them said ‘nice car that is’ at my car and I asked if he was trying to intimidate me and he just shrugged his shoulders.

“I would warn everybody not to take on these people on their own and to leave it to the officials to deal with it. The situation can turn volatile if it is approached wrong. It is a frightening situation.”

Despite the issues Coun Ashford and the Chase Meadows Residents’ Association’s Facebook page said that the travellers were all going to be moved on by December 27.

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It was also reported by The Courier last week that a caravan had been abandoned after travellers had left a site near Tachbrook Park.

However this does not appear to have taken place.

A Facebook post from the Chase Meadows Residents’s Association said that the group of travellers on the Racecourse car park adjacent to the grandstands left on December 23 but relocated close to the first site.

The post said: “The group travelled only as far as the new building site off Edgehill Road on Tournament Fields. From evidence seen today (December 23) it would appear they tore down some temporary fencing around the building site and gained access that way. Because this is privately owned land, as opposed to Council owned land, apparently matters can move more quickly.”

The residents’ association also posted on Facebook that the group of travellers on the car park beside the stables were due to leave on December 27 but according to Coun Ashford this has not happened and will not happen for nearly two weeks.

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Coun Ashford said: “The travellers that moved to the site on Tournament Fields were evicted but are now basically back on the same site they were to begin with,

“The travellers that were due to leave on the 27th are still in situ. Apparently, a date of January 10 has been arranged for the travellers to be evicted off their present location.

“The saga I am afraid still goes on. It seems the courts are dragging their feet on giving the police the Section 61 they need in order to evict the travellers.

“I trust the courts have had a jolly good Christmas while the rest of us affected have had their Christmas spoilt.”

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