THE REMOVAL of a ‘tent town’ which saw rough sleepers on the banks of the River Severn close to Worcester Cathedral has been welcomed by a city councillor who branded the camp ‘an unpleasant eyesore’.
A total of 10 police officers swooped on the camp having obtained a dispersal order to break up the tent town which lay along the tow path off New Road and across the River Severn from Diglis House Hotel .
Officers were accompanied by three Maggs Day Centre outreach and transition staff and removed around half a dozen rough sleepers from 7am on Monday morning.
Those using the camp were told to remove their belongings within an hour and were warned that if they returned within 48 hours they risked being arrested.
Coun Alan Amos, whose ward covers part of the area, welcomed the police removal of the camp on what he called a ‘prominent part of the riverside’.
“This encampment developed and grew in exactly the way many of us predicted and feared at the beginning,” he said.
“It has now belatedly been removed because of a number of disturbing reports including public disorder, assault, drug abuse, and anti-social behaviour.
“The police operation was supported by representatives of the homeless charities. I’m pleased to see that the police will now be monitoring the location and take appropriate action if anyone returns there.
The Bedwardine councillor highlighted the cost to the city council who now have to clean-up the mess left behind and said it would take a while for the area to return to its previous condition.
“Inevitably, the bleeding-heart politically-correct brigade who don’t represent anybody except themselves have already started writing in, as they always do.
“However, in recent weeks I have received a number of complaints from residents about this encampment so I know that the vast majority of decent law-abiding people will be welcoming its removal. This location will again be a safe and pleasant area for residents and tourists.
“There is no innate reason why people who claim to be homeless should be involved with disorder, assault, drugs, anti-social behaviour and more.
“Indeed, I would have thought that genuinely homeless people would not behave like that,” he added.
