Council to start moves to evict Travellers on Harrogate Stray tomorrow

Harrogate Borough Council looks set to begin legal moves to evict Travellers on the Stray tomorrow.

Six caravans and several cars arrived on the Oatlands section of the Stray yesterday.

Three days earlier Travellers also parked on the old rugby field at Knaresborough.

The council, which is the legal protector of the Stray, has not replied to the Stray Ferret’s request for information about what action it is taking.

But Judy d’Arcy Thompson, chair of the Stray Defence Association, said the council had informed her that is is “aware and prepared to serve papers on Monday if required with a court hearing already scheduled for Thursday. Unfortunately due to the legal process, this is the fastest we can progress the situation.”

It is thought the Travellers are on their way to Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria, which begins on Thursday.


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Ms d’Arcy Thompson said the council had informed her that its street cleaning team was “prepared to check the area and clear any waste left behind”.

Travellers on Stray

She added the council appeared to be doing everything it could to resolve the situation, adding:

“With experience of similar events in the past we appreciate the complexity of the legal process.

“We naturally hope that they respect our Stray and that the minimum of mess and damage is left behind when they depart.”

The Stray Defence Association was founded in 1933 to safeguard the Stray against building and encroachment.

Travellers arrive on Harrogate’s Stray

A group of Travellers has set up an encampment on the Stray in Harrogate today.

Six caravans and a car are parked on the section of the Stray just off Oatlands Drive.

They are believed to have arrived this afternoon.

The Stray Ferret spoke to dog walkers on the parkland near to the caravans this afternoon.

Stray Travellers

They said they walk on the land regularly and hadn’t noticed the vehicles until this afternoon.

It comes days after Travellers also set up camp on the old rugby field in Knaresborough.

The Stray Ferret has asked Harrogate Borough Council, which is the protector of the Stray, whether it is aware of the issue and if it is taking any action, but has yet to receive a response.


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Stray Travellers

Masham council explores measures to prevent traveller camps

Masham Parish Council has said it is exploring measures to stop travellers camping on the town’s village green.

Travellers have pitched up on the green, alongside The Avenue, for many years but after a group arrived last month the council has said it is time to explore tougher measures.

Currently there is a height barrier at the entrance and an industrial lock.

However, when the travellers arrived before Appleby Horse Fair last month the lock was cut off, allowing access to the patch of land. They stayed for about 10 days.

According to the council, litter and human excrement was left behind and a lifebelt, kept on the river bank for emergencies, had been thrown into the River Ure. It was found in the water by fire crews with the rope cut.

Masham Parish Council said discussion were underway to see what could be done, with CCTV cameras among the options being discussed.

Cllr Ian Johnson said:

“It happens each year but this is the first time they’ve cut the lock. It’s an industrial one so it won’t have been easy to remove. We are looking into what we can do ahead of next year.”


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The council will now spend about £100 on a new rope for the lifebelt and look into replacing a missing picnic bench.

The area, known to locals as Shooting Holme, is often used for picnics and exercise.

Harrogate’s Ashville College reports battery thefts after travellers depart

Harrogate’s Ashville College has reported the theft of batteries from lighting towers to police after travellers left the school’s playing fields.

Caravans departed the fields on Yew Tree Lane yesterday after an altercation, believed to be between two travellers, on Saturday night.

It was the second time in a fortnight caravans had pitched up at Ashville, sparking safeguarding concerns about pupils returning to the fee-paying school this term.

A spokesman for Ashville College said today:

“The travellers who arrived on Saturday and set up an illegal camp on our sports pitches have finally left.

“However, since their departure, we have discovered that a number of batteries from two lighting towers have been stolen. In addition to cutting wires, the culprits have also damaged the lifting mechanisms, and we have reported this to the police.

“We would like to thank the local policing team for their support and their continued on-site presence was a great comfort to members of staff and returning boarding pupils.”


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North Yorkshire Police said in a statement this afternoon the travellers had moved on “following intervention by Harrogate’s neighbourhood policing team”.

The statement added officers have been “working with land owners including the council to ensure security is maintained at other potential sites around the district”.

Travellers also descended on Hay-a-Park rugby field in Knaresborough last month.

Chief Inspector Andy Colbourne said:

“Communication is key in resolving community matters such as this, which can cause tensions on all sides if they are not managed properly.

“By working closely with all concerned as well as the wider local community, we’ve been able to help deliver a relatively swift resolution and prevent any further disruption.”

Travellers depart Harrogate’s Ashville College after fracas leaves man in hospital

Travellers have left Harrogate’s Ashville College following a fracas on Saturday night that left one man in hospital.

Six caravans returned to the playing fields at the fee-paying school last week a fortnight after a previous encampment, thought to be the same group of people, pitched up.

Their presence raised safeguarding concerns that could have disrupted the new school term, which is due to start this week.

But following a disturbance on Saturday night, most of the travellers have now gone — and the few remaining are expected to depart today.

A spokesman for Ashville College said:

“Of the six caravans that returned on Saturday afternoon, just one remains and they are expected to leave this afternoon.

“Their departure follows an incident on Saturday night confined to this group, which resulted in police attending the scene and one man being taken to hospital. There has been a police presence since the incident occurred.

“We would like to emphasise that no member of the school community was involved in any way, and parents and staff have been fully appraised of the situation.”

School reviewing security

The school is now looking at ways to prevent travellers returning a third time. The spokesman said:

“A full review of the site security was already underway, and this process will now be expedited.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said the incident was believed to be an altercation between two men at the location.

The spokesman added:

“Both were arrested and bailed pending further enquiries.

“We will be reviewing this tomorrow with the local Neighbourhood Policing Team.”

No staff, students or anyone else connected with the college is believed to have been involved.


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Harrogate school takes legal action after travellers return

Ashville College has said it has commenced court proceedings to evict a number of travellers after they returned this weekend.

About six caravans drove onto Ashville’s sports playing fields, near the boarding houses, on Yew Tree Lane.

It is believed it is the same group that pitched up two weeks ago.

Ashville College said in a statement it is a major safeguarding concern as boarding pupils have now moved back in ready for the new school term to begin this week.

It added it had begun court proceedings to have the group removed.

A spokesman for Ashville College said:

“A group of travellers who illegally moved on to our sports fields two weeks ago have regrettably returned.

“With our boarding pupils now here for the start of the new school year, and day pupils returning in just a few days, this is a major concern for us.

“We have once again called the police, and have alerted our solicitors to begin court proceedings to have them evicted.”


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When the travellers arrived two weeks ago, they told school staff they were on their way to a wedding in Ireland after attending the annual Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria.

The travellers said if the school paid them £5,000 they were prepared to leave immediately without causing any damage.

They left leaving no damage three days later.

‘We will not resort straight away to criminal prosecution’ of travellers, say police

North Yorkshire Police has said it will not “resort straight away” to criminal prosecution of travellers who set up illegal encampments.

Travellers have pitched up at Hay-a-Park in Knaresborough and on the playing field at Ashville College in Harrogate this month.

Asked today by a member of the public why officers did not use the Criminal Disorder Act 1984, which prohibits trespassing, deputy chief constable Phil Cain said the police always looked to resolve the matter at “the earliest opportunity”.

But he added the force had a “graduated response” to dealing with such incidents.

DCC Cain, speaking at a North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner public accountability meeting, said police had to balance the human rights of all those involved, particularly as the travelling community often has families with small children.

He said:

“The graduated response from North Yorkshire Police, as it is with other forces, is that we will not resort straight away to criminal prosecution. We will engage with the travelling community and the land owners as we have done on this occasion.

“We will seek to resolve the matter at the earliest opportunity using the least intrusive means possible. That includes graduating up through private land owners utilising powers in civil courts for unlicensed travellers settlements all the way through to the final element, which would be criminal prosecution.

“On this occasion, local officers have engaged with the travelling community and they have agreed to move on without the need for us to resort to criminal prosecution.”


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“It’s not that we are not prepared to use these powers, it’s that there has to be a graduated response and we have to show that graduated response in order to show that we are complying with the Human Rights Act.”

Last week travellers set up camp on Ashville College’s rugby pitch and demanded £5,000 to leave, according to a college spokesperson.

However, after less than two days the travellers hitched up their caravans and moved on. The college said they left of their own accord.

Hay-a-Park rugby field in Knaresborough was sealed off by police and deemed to be a health hazard due to the amount of human excrement after travellers departed on August 10.

Knaresborough traveller site Hay-A-Park

A police cordon sealing off Hay-a-Park rugby field after travellers left.

Travellers leave Ashville College without causing damage

A group of travellers who set up camp at Ashville College in Harrogate have now vacated the sports field without causing any damage.

The travellers parked up their caravans at the fee-paying school’s rugby pitch on Tuesday evening. A spokesman for the college said they were prepared to leave immediately for £5,000.

According to the spokesman, the group are on their way to a wedding in Ireland after attending the annual Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria.

The school was concerned that if the group stayed for a prolonged period then it could have to delay the start of the new term on September 8.

Ashville College called the police and started the court process to evict them.


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However, after less than two days the travellers hitched up their caravans and moved on. The college said they left of their own accord.

Groundskeeping staff at Ashville College then carried out an inspection of the field and found no damage.

So Ashville’s series of summer sports activities can now resume outdoors after the presence of travellers forced the school to take it inside.

A spokesman for Ashville College told the Stray Ferret this morning:

“We are pleased to report that after less than two days, the travellers that set up camp on our sports pitches have now vacated the grounds.

“Our groundskeeping staff have conducted a thorough inspection of the rugby fields and can confirm that there is no damage, and that they are safe for games to be resumed.”

‘Significant hurdles’ could delay moves to evict Ashville College travellers

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott has warned that attempts to remove travellers from Harrogate’s Ashville College face “significant hurdles”.

Travellers parked at the fee-paying school’s rugby pitch on Tuesday evening and remain on site. A spokesman for the college said the travellers had indicated they were prepared to leave immediately if they received £5,000.

Now the school has said it may have to delay the start of the autumn term on September 8 if the travellers do not leave because of safeguarding concerns. The college has already had to relocate outdoor summer sports activities to indoors.

But any prospect of a swift resolution to the matter seems remote.

A spokesman for Ashville College told the Stray Ferret police officers said they were powerless to take action when staff got in touch because it is a civil rather than criminal matter.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Police about the incident but has not received a response.


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Harrogate Borough Council has said it is willing to give advice to the college but is also powerless to act because the encampment is on private land.

Mr Allott, whose job is to hold the police to account, told us police and local authorities were in a tricky spot when it came to travellers. He said:

“I know how frustrating it can be for residents who feel helpless when travellers arrive in their community, and how frustrating it can be for the police and local authorities who want to help but face significant hurdles doing so.

“The issue is that trespass is a civil offence and not a criminal offence. So if the encampment is on private land such as Ashville College, it is the landowner’s responsibility unless there are other crimes being committed.”

New law could speed up evictions

The situation may change if the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, becomes law.

The bill proposes making “residing in a vehicle on land without permission” a specific offence.

It will also give the police power to seize vehicles and speed up the eviction process for councils and private landowners.

Mr Allott, whose home town of Knaresborough has also recently been visited by travellers, added:

“Although the instigator of the initial complaint will still mostly be the local authority or landowner, it will mean that things will happen much faster and that they can also use the police for enforcement purposes instead of bailiffs.

“Frankly, these measures can’t come soon enough for many here in North Yorkshire and I continue to urge the Home Secretary to get these powers written into law as soon as possible.

“We must support residents, schools and sports clubs – who often suffer the most from the impact of these illegal camps.

“These changes would, I hope, also be welcomed by the vast majority of travellers who get an unfair and negative image despite the majority abiding by the law.”

Travellers set up camp at Harrogate’s Ashville College – and demand £5,000 to leave

Travellers have set up an illegal camp on the sports field at Harrogate’s Ashville College — and demanded £5,000 to leave immediately.

The school has said their presence raises safeguarding concerns that could delay the return to school on September 8.

Cars and caravans drove onto the rugby pitches behind the fee-paying school’s Mallinson boarding house on Yew Tree Lane last night.

According to a college spokesman, they told school staff they were on their way to a wedding in Ireland after attending the annual Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria.

However, the travellers said if the school paid them £5,000 they were prepared to leave immediately without causing any damage.

But if no money was forthcoming, they said they would increase the length of their stay and implied they would invite other members of the travelling community to join them, the spokesman added.

This week, the college is staging a series of summer sports activities for boys and girls. These have now had to be brought indoors as the college is concerned about the safety of the children.

Despite the camp’s presence being a safeguarding issue, the college is worried that the only route it can now take to remove the travellers is to apply for a court order, which could take up to 10 days, and interrupt the start of term.

The spokesman said:

“Despite the travellers illegally camping on our grounds, which is private property, and their presence being a child safeguarding issue, the police state they are powerless to take action.

“This has already impacted on our summer sports camps and there’s a possibility the start of the new term may have to be delayed.

“We are now having to engage the services of a solicitor to help us apply for a court order, and in the meantime we are powerless to do anything, which is incredibly frustrating and worrying.”