Life inside Britain’s ‘caravan capital’ after HUGE crackdown on sea of 600 nomads who claim ‘there’s nowhere else to go’
LIFE inside Britain's "caravan capital" has been revealed, after a huge crackdown on 600 nomads claiming there's "nowhere else to go".
Councillors in Bristol have thwarted the van dwellers by installing large planters - stopping them from parking.
It comes amid rising complaints about the sea of people living in motorhomes, caravans and converted vans as they battle the economic and housing crisis.
The vehicles line several roads in the city, which has seen van dwellers quadruple in numbers since 2020, according to recent figures.
People parking in the St George's Park area were handed an eviction notice by Bristol City Council in September, after residents complained.
The notice followed a "substantial number" of concerns around increased anti-social behaviour in the area as a result of their presence.
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Most of the offending vehicles left within 28 days of being handed the initial council notice, but a court order was used to evict the final residents living in vehicles along Park Crescent and Lake View Road.
Two vehicles further up the road are apparently still "subject to enforcement action".
And now, the large wooden planters have been inserted as a last-ditch attempt to stop nomads from pitching up again.
Residents say they will no longer have to live with the daily spectacle of the “grungy” caravan and camper van inhabitants using the bushes and shrubs in St Georg’e Park in Bristol as toilets.
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One local said: “Good riddance to them. We’ve had around 15 caravans parked up opposite us for 10 years and they were an eyesore.
“These vans weren’t exactly state-of-the-art vehicles. They were battered to hell and filthy - just like the dwellers themselves.”
The resident, a mother-of-two in her mid-30s, said many of the dwellers’ personal hygiene habits were also questionable.
“When they needed the toilet, they’d nip into the bushes or urinate against the nearest tree,” she said.
“It was disgusting. I’ve got young children and I didn’t want them having to see that every day. It got to the point where I was no longer wanting to take the kids into the park.
“It’s been an absolute grunge-fest here for the past 10 years and thank goodness it looks like it’s come to an end now. Good riddance to them, I say.”
Some residents living around the park, which has tennis courts and a cafe, expressed sympathy for the caravan dwellers.
One, Jonathan, a 43-year-old distributions manager, said: “I can see both sides.
"Sure, the rows of caravans can be a bit unsightly and perhaps a nuisance at times for people living here, but they aren’t hurting anybody and they need somewhere to live.
“My fear is that all this policy does is move the problem elsewhere.”
Another local, Ali, 41, who works in Bristol as a project manager, said: “I’ve spoken to quite a few of them over the years and they all say they want to live in a house or flat, but they simply cannot afford it.
“They can’t afford the rent, let alone buying somewhere of their own, so the caravan or camper van is the most affordable option. It’s sad for them that they can’t afford decent housing.
“I’m aware of locals’ complaints that they use the park for toilet purposes, but what other option do they have? There are no public toilets.
"I think perhaps the council should have considered putting in toilets and providing running hot and cold water for them while they were here.
“I hope they all find somewhere safe to live.”
Retired housing officer with the same council that evicted the dwellers, Jane, 72, said: “Undoubtedly, the place looks a lot smarter now they’re gone, but I do feel sorry for them. They’ve got to live somewhere.
“Some of their behaviour was pretty anti-social, especially the public-toileting stuff. Locals shouldn’t have to be putting up with that kind of behaviour.
“And some of them were rather scruffy and I think that intimidated some locals, although I never saw any of them being aggressive in any way.”
Kath, 75, a retired finance officer at the University of Bristol, said: “Their caravans were old and dirty and them living here brought the area down.
"It looked unsightly, but they were a nice bunch of people trying to make the best of their circumstances.
"They had no other option but to live like this, really. I’m sure they would rather be living in a nice house somewhere, like all of us, but they just can’t afford it.
"Modern life is just too expensive for many of us.”
In a post on Facebook, Green councillor Rob Bryher explained why the council had appeared to change its position over recent months - following an influx of new caravans to the area.
He said: "Over the past 18 months or so, the live-in vehicles on the road have numbered about 10-15 and been classed as low impact by Bristol City Council's Neighbourhood Enforcement Team (NET).
"This means that other than regular welfare checks, the council considered the accumulation of live-in vehicles at this point to be acceptable.
"During August and early September, around 10-15 new vehicles arrived around Park Cresent and Lake View Road.
"Substantial numbers of complaints were received from housed residents about increased anti-social behaviour.
"On assessing the situation, NET decided based on police call logs that the vehicle accumulation had moved into the high impact category.
"This required a 14-day informal notice to vacate, another 14-day formal notice to vacate and the use of a court order to remove the final vehicles from these two roads.
"There are two vehicles still in situ further up the road which are subject to enforcement action."
The passionate local politician then explained that the council's highways and transport team worked alongside a local business to install the controversial planters - which not only serve a practical function but also be a "good, attractive addition" to the area.
He also believed that the presence of larger caravans hindered pedestrians' visibility, making it "unsafe for people crossing from the park".
Meanwhile, smaller vans will still be allowed to park in the spot.
He added that he anticipated some outcry from the eco-friendly Bristol community, but it was ultimately his "job to represent everyone who lives in St George West".
Rob then turned his attention to the wider housing problems in the UK that lead so many people to live in their vehicles.
He said: "At the same time, living in a moveable vehicle is not illegal in the UK and people have the right to do it.
"My view is that nationally we need rent controls and a housing-first approach to homelessness."
The post received a mixed reception, with some praising the stylish planters and others seeing them as only a temporary fix
One wrote: "It looks great, improves visibility and safety, and adds much needed food for pollinators and wildlife to the area."
A parent echoed this, saying: ";This will definitely make it safer to cross the road there which we do regularly."
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However, another commenter disagreed, typing: "Still feels very nimbyish to me. Moving the vans on to be a problem elsewhere doesn't seem like a solution.
"What about coming up with ways to integrate people into the community? Or have allocated space for vehicle dwellers rather than a blanket ban?"
UK'S MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO LIVE IN
A 2023 study by chartered surveyors Stokemont found these cities are the most expensive in the UK to live in...
- London (£3,075.14 - estimated monthly cost of living for a single person in the city centre, including rent)
- Bristol (£1,913.86)
- Edinburgh (£1,735.90)
- Manchester (£1,682.63)
- Leeds (£1,604.77)
- Belfast (£1,567.48)
- Newcastle (£1,557.90)
- Southampton (£1,547.50)
- Glasgow (1,539.22)
- Liverpool (£1,532.77)
