Bailiffs on site at Lido car park for Traveller group eviction

The Lido car park Photo Jools Moore

Bailiffs have been on site at the Lido car park in Cliftonville and moved a Traveller group off of the land.

The group arrived over the bank holiday weekend but there have been complaints to police over disturbances in pubs and shops last night (August 28) as well as resident reports of noise and littering.

The land was owned by private firm Stour Side Investments which bought the site in 2014 but is now in extended administration under Duff & Phelps.

Photo Kelly O’ Neill

In 2016 the Lido complex was put up for auction with a guide price of  £600,000 but it was later withdrawn.

Police officers were not involved in the removal as it private ground.

An action plan is being developed by Thanet council to deal with the growing number of unauthorised Traveller encampments in the district.

Photo Kelly O’Neill

A working group has been set up to investigate the issue and  look at areas including Traveller accommodation, security measures and increased enforcement at high risk areas.

Photo Lindsey Parish Wellard

An update from the council’s Traveller Review sub committee was due on October 22 but has been postponed. The meeting will now take place on November 19 at the council offices in Cecil Street from 7pm. Members of the public may attend.

Photo Jools Moore

Unauthorised camps have risen from two in 2013 to 50 last year and more than 40 this year.

Photo Lindsey Parish Wellard

Thanet does not have an authorised site. The nearest ones are in Dover and Canterbury.