Saturday 23 April 2016

When the travellers came.

Recently my workplace has been all over the local news as the main staff car park had been taken over by travellers.

Saturday morning, 11 caravans and motorhomes took up residency after cutting a chain locking gates closed.

They parked around the perimeter of the car park to allow space for their washing lines, dog kennels, and expensive cars.

Image result for george eliot traveller

Image result for george eliot traveller

UNEXPECTED VISITORS... caravans parked up on the George Eliot Hospital site.  NNJA 180416 GE 01
One staff member, who had no choice but to park in the same car park as the rest of the site was full, was told to move her car out of 'their garden', when she pointed out that it was a car park she was told that if she didn't move her car it would not be there when she got back.

The travellers were helping themselves to free water and electricity thanks to an outside tap and power outlet that I didn't even know was there, but they found it!

One day they spent a few hours amusing themselves by having races around the car park, as the surface is gravel this was flinging stones all over the place and leaving huge grooves in the surface.

Police had to be called one night as they were intimidating an elderly couple trying to leave via the main entrance.

Along with the clothes lines that they had installed, they used handy bushes to dry clothes on.

Travellers have set up camp in a hospital staff car park and have been seen leaving their laundry to dry on bushes outside the ward (pictured) 

After being served notice, they finally vacated the car park at 8.15 Friday morning, and have moved less than a mile down the road to a cinema car park.

SO now the clean up begins.  Along with all the rubbish left behind, there are dozens of empty gas canisters.

Plus, they very kindly smashed glass over the car park, just leaving enough area clear so that they could drive out.

I don't know when we will be able to get back into the car park.