Police were called out to a small Traveller encampment in Margate during the early hours today (January 3).
Around five caravans and accompanying vehicles are parked up at Fort Crescent, by the Winter Gardens. Police were called at around 1am today.
A Kent Police spokesman said: “Kent Police was called to an unauthorised encampment in Fort Crescent, Margate, just before 1am on Thursday 3 January.
“Officers will be speaking with the land owner regarding the matter, which is the standard procedure in terms of any eviction process.”
The land belongs to Thanet District Council. A council spokesman said: “We are aware of the illegal traveller encampment that has arrived near the Winter Gardens in Margate. Officers from Thanet District Council will visit the site today in order to undertake the necessary welfare assessments and following that, as appropriate, the required notices will be issued.”
Travellers have also camped at Millennium Way, Broadstairs. Thanet council has informed landowner Tesco.
The Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) group say there is a chronic national shortage of Gypsy and Traveller sites and available stopping places in the UK.
The group’s research shows there has been only been a 2% increase in socially rented pitches available between 2010 and 2017.
