The picturesque beachfront car park at Bembridge Point on the east coast of the Isle of Wight has become the center of a heated dispute between the owner, Malcolm Thorpe, and a group of travellers who have parked their motorhomes there. The situation escalated when Mr. Thorpe took the drastic action of blocking the exit with 3ft high concrete bollards, trapping the travellers inside and demanding an exit fee for their release.
According to Mr. Thorpe, the travellers had mistreated the area, prompting his decision to take such drastic measures. The travellers, who claim to have been coming to the area for years and always being respectful, were shocked by the sudden turn of events. They have yet to respond to Mr. Thorpe’s demand for an undisclosed fee for their release.
In an attempt to resolve the situation, Mr. Thorpe has given the travellers an ultimatum – he will remove the bollards for free the next day, but the travellers must leave the same day. This ultimatum has put the travellers in a difficult position, as they are torn between their desire to stay in the area they love and the need to comply with Mr. Thorpe’s demands.
The dispute between Mr. Thorpe and the travellers began in April when the occupants were first asked to move their vans to one half of the car park, as the other half is designated as a village green. However, just a few days later, the bollards were unlawfully moved by the travellers to park their vans where they originally were. This led to further tensions between the two parties.
Pippa Amos, one of the travellers, disputed the claims made by Mr. Thorpe and explained that they only returned to the area when members of the public started parking there. Despite their disagreements, Mr. Thorpe has only communicated with the travellers through text messages, further exacerbating the situation.
The travellers were given a short notice that the whole car park would be blocked off, and any remaining vehicles would be charged a removal fee. This sudden decision left the travellers feeling trapped and uncertain about their future. Ms. Amos argued that they should have been given a formal eviction notice with at least seven days warning, as they were being forced to leave their homes behind.
The situation has become a legal matter, with Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Constabulary stating that it is a civil issue due to the car park being private land. The Isle of Wight council has also clarified that they have no jurisdiction over the matter. However, they have offered advice and assistance to anyone who finds themselves homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days.
As the standoff continues between Mr. Thorpe and the travellers, the future remains uncertain for both parties. The travellers are faced with the difficult decision of whether to comply with Mr. Thorpe’s demands or to fight for their right to stay in the area they love. Meanwhile, Mr. Thorpe stands firm in his decision to block the exit and charge an exit fee, citing the mistreatment of the area by the travellers as his justification. The resolution of this dispute remains to be seen, but one thing is clear – tensions are running high at Bembridge Point.