FURIOUS firm-owners on a business estate invaded by Travellers are desperate for extra security to stop a repeat of the nightmare they say they are currently living. In less than a week’s time the number of caravans parked-up in Slingsby Close in Attleborough has more than quadrupled, many of them parked directly in front of business units. This has left firms fuming, saying they are ‘absolutely fed-up’ with the lack of action to move the Travellers and questioned why their welfare was not being taken into consideration as livelihoods were being put at risk. Businesses claim they are unable to operate with the encampment so close to their units.
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has offered to install bollards around the estate once the Travellers have moved off but firms say that pledge does not go far enough.
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They want a gate installed so that there is no threat of caravans getting back onto the site at all.
“Bollards are no good, it will only stop them coming on the grass and we have already got them driving up the path, in front of our units,” said a businessman, who did not want to be named.
“We need a gate, so that they can’t get in at all.”
In recent days, the situation on the estate has escalated and is beginning to turn ugly. There is human excrement everywhere, I saw someone chuck a bucket from their caravan that smelt like urine. It is not clean down there. There have also been stand offs with the police, it is not a nice place to be.”
Businesses are losing money, he claimed: “Luckily I am not reliant on passing trade, but there are lots of businesses that need people coming in and they just aren’t. Some businesses don’t even want to open their shutters.
“I am struggling to sleep at night because I am worried about what is going on down there.”
A spokesperson for the borough council said: “We are listening to Slingsby Close businesses concerns and we’ll discuss their suggestions in more detail once we have achieved the initial priority of removing the travellers from the site.”
The Town Hall spokesperson added that the local authority has received summons for a hearing at the Magistrates Court in Leamington Spa to start the eviction process tomorrow. But that does not guarantee that the encampment will be moved off straight away.
This is likely to only add to the unrest growing among the business community in the Attleborough industrial estate. In a full statement to the News, a council spokesperson explained: “Due to welfare issues we have been tolerating three caravans at Slingsby Close.
“We are seeking advice from external services to decide when it is appropriate to serve directions on this group. It is critical we take welfare issues in to account as we are required to do, otherwise the courts can decide not to grant a court order and it could extend the stay of the travellers.
“Five further caravans arrived at Slingsby Close on Friday and we served directions that day telling the travellers to move forthwith.
“If we successfully obtain a court order it will be a priority to remove the travellers as soon as possible.
“In general the process to remove travellers takes around seven days if all things go well.
“Police have met with us on site and currently do not consider there is enough reason to use their powers.
We will continue to liaise with the police to determine the most appropriate course of action and businesses should report all incidents of a criminal nature to the police.
Once the travellers have moved on the council intends to install bollards on the grass verges adjacent to units 4 and 19.”
It is not the first time that the business estate has been targeted by Travellers, as there was an illegal encampment parked-up back in June and there were also unauthorised incursions last year.
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