In the seaside town of Bembridge on the Isle of Wight, a contentious parking situation has erupted, pitting a local landowner against a group of travellers and leaving residents and tourists caught in the middle.
For over two years, a group of travellers has inhabited what was once the area’s largest car park. Frustrated by their presence, Malcolm Thorpe, owner of Bembridge Harbour Authority and who claims to own the land since 2011, took matters into his own hands. He installed 30 hefty, 4ft-high concrete bollards at the car park’s entrance. This action has effectively trapped the travellers’ vehicles, preventing both their departure and access for visitors.
Thorpe justified his actions by describing the situation as “unacceptable.” He cited issues such as unsanitary conditions and littering, informing the group that they must pay him for the “mistreatment” of the area before they could leave. While the exact amount demanded remains undisclosed, one traveller claimed it could be as high as £500.
Thorpe has offered the group an ultimatum: he will remove the bollards free of charge if they agree to leave the same day. However, individual departures would require the travellers to pay for the bollards’ removal.
Dale Coulson, 70, a traveller in the group, has stated that they have no intention of leaving and maintain they are parked on a village green, asserting they keep the area clean and tidy. “We’re stuck here now and we feel like we’re fighting a cause for everybody,” Coulson said. “We want freedom to be able to go and come back… we’ll be a thorn in his side until he moves on.”
The parking predicament has caused considerable disruption to the community. Bembridge has only two other car parks, both a significant distance away, causing traffic chaos and inconvenience. Lynn, 67, a resident of the Isle of Wight, described a dangerous situation when trying to access the car park to watch birds, stating: “I had to reverse, in a hurry and backwards, on to a main road and a blind corner. It was extremely dangerous… I was very nervous.”
Ian Woodward, 59, another long-time resident, noted the frustration of local residents, with numerous cars attempting to access the car park and being forced to reverse onto the road.
Authorities have stated the issue is a civil matter, with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary deferring to the Isle of Wight council, which claims no jurisdiction as the dispute is on private land.
For many of the travellers, the financial demand is prohibitive. Kimberly Campbell, a 27-year-old kitchen manager who lives in a static home with her partner said, “[Malcolm] knew that we couldn’t tow it away. I’m thinking, do I sell the van and try to downgrade? Get something that can move? I don’t know what the next steps will be.”
As residents grapple with the traffic snarls generated by the bollards, Thorpe remains confident the situation will be resolved and the travellers will leave.
