A charming seaside town has suffered a major below after multiple caravans have parked up on the seafront lawns and allegedly been dumping nappies into the sea and fighting among each other
An idyllic seaside town has descended into chaos after a group of travellers has ‘taken over’ the seafront. Situated at the mouth of the River Parret along the stunning Somerset coast, lies Burnham-on-Sea – a quintessential seaside resort full of charm and natural beauty.
Here, you’ll find seven miles of soft golden sand, crystal-clear waters, and a 37-metre Victorian pier that’s classed as the country’s smallest – as well as all of your coastal must-haves, including an abundance of fish and chip shops and ice cream parlours. But earlier this month, on July 13, multiple caravans unexpectedly parked up on the seafront lawns – sparking ‘significant anxiety’ and ‘issues’ for locals.
Two weeks later, and around 15 vehicles remain in place on the lawns, located on the South Esplanade near the Sailing Club. A separate group of around 10 caravans and vehicles also pitched up on the green at Priory Gardens.
Locals and tourists have reported a slew of anti-social behaviour since the travellers have arrived, including claims of fighting and excessive littering. Cheryl Boley, a retiree who has lived in the area for 60 years and walks past the occupied parking space every day, says the situation happens a couple of times a year – and it’s left her ‘fuming’.
“They leave rubbish behind, tyres, fridges [and] human waste,” she said. “We’ve heard they threw nappies over into the sea – we didn’t see it ourselves, but with what gets left behind sometimes, it wouldn’t be surprising. It makes my blood boil. We live by the law. We have a caravan – if we parked it here, we’d be kicked out immediately.”
Cheryl states the nearby holiday hotspot of Weston-super-Mare has erected bollards in front of the beach to prevent travellers from setting up camp, but says such a deterrent is too ‘expensive’ to follow. A father-of-two, who lives around a mile from the site but takes his young son to play in the area, has also complained about the influx of travellers.
“We’ve lived here the last seven, eight years,” he explained. “Every year they come, they take up somewhere new for a few weeks, they’re moved on, they come back. I don’t know their backgrounds, their history. But I don’t think they should be taking up all the parking space, especially in the summer. I’ve seen them letting dogs loose as well. Small dogs, luckily, but it doesn’t feel safe – you never know.”
Bridgwater MP Ashley Fox, who covers the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge area, has spoken out about the issue – stating he is ‘extremely concerned’ by Somerset Council’s ‘slow response’ to evict the travellers. “People in Burnham are rightly frustrated,” he added. “These incidents keep happening and too often, the response from the Council is far too slow.
“Our local traders rely on the summer season to make a living, and they deserve better than this. Rather than striving to serve the public, Somerset Council gives the impression of trying to get away with doing as little as possible. They are slow and unresponsive.”
However, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Communities, Housing Revenue Account, Culture and Equalities, Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts said the authority was working with the police to act at the earliest opportunity when an unauthorised encampment is reported. It says it has treated the matter ‘with urgency’ to make sure the necessary legal process is set in motion.
After liaising with police to issue a formal notice to leave, the Mirror can confirm that the council applied to the Magistrates’ Court for a hearing that took place on Friday, July 25. The legal process is still continuing. When approached for comment, Somerset Council did not confirm when it expects the travellers will be moved on, or when the order will be served on the encampment.
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