The owner of a beachfront car park has blocked a group of travellers inside and is charging them an exit fee.
Malcolm Thorpe took the action after travellers moved into his picturesque car park with their motorhomes.
He said they had mistreated the area.
Mr Thorpe, who runs the harbour authority, blocked the exit off with 3ft high concrete bollards.
He told the group that they must pay an undisclosed fee before they can leave because of their “mistreatment” of the area.
Now, Mr Thorpe has given the travellers an ultimatum. He will move the bollards tomorrow for free but the travellers must leave the same day.
The row broke out at Bembridge Point, on the east coast of the Isle of Wight.
The van owners said they have been coming there for years and are always respectful. They are yet to respond to Mr Thorpe’s offer.
In April, the occupants at Bembridge Point were first asked to move their vans to one half of the car park, as the other is designated a village green, and the bollards were first put in place to separate the two sides.
Bembridge Harbour Authority, which owns the car park and is run by Mr Thorpe, said that just a few days later the blocks were “unlawfully” moved so the travellers could repark their vans where they were originally.
Pippa Amos, 24, one of the travellers, disputed this and explained that the group only returned when members of the public started parking there.
Mr Thorpe has not spoken to the travellers in person, only texting Ms Amos to pass information on.
On July 22, they were given letters saying that the whole car park was being blocked off and that any remaining vehicles would be charged a “removal fee” and two days later the bollards were put in place.
Ms Amos argued that this was not enough notice and they should have been given a formal eviction notice with seven days warning.
She is being allowed to leave because she has work on the mainland but wishes she could stay.
Ms Amos said: “You can’t just entrap people. We can walk out but these vans are our homes, our lives.
“I wish I didn’t have to leave. If I didn’t have that opportunity [on the mainland], I would stay.
“At the end of the day, it is their choice.”
Mr Thorpe said advanced notice was given to the van dwellers and that the eviction was the result of the occupants mistreating council-run toilets and leaving their waste in public.
Mr Thorpe said: “The occupiers continued their previous habits to totally mistreat the parish council’s toilets and the adjoining private land, as well as continued to leave their refuse and waste in public places.”
Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Constabulary said the issue is a civil matter.
The Isle of Wight council explained that because it is private land they have no jurisdiction.
A council spokesperson said: “The council provides advice and assistance to anyone who finds themselves homeless, or who are threatened with homelessness within 56 days.
“Advice and assistance can be requested by contacting the council on 01983 823040 or via the council’s website Housing advice and support (iow.gov.uk).”
Source Agencies
