Travellers who forced closure of many Peterborough bars move on but police patrols remain

Police in Peterborough have moved on three Traveller encampments in the city centre, but an enhanced police presence will remain over the next few days.

This will include dedicated patrols at the city’s Beer Festival, which opens on Tuesday night (August 22).

Over the weekend, caravans arrived at Wellington Street car park as well as that of Stuart House on St John’s Street- these later moved onto Brook Street car park.

Resulting anti-social behaviour is then thought to have prompted several Peterborough pubs and bars to close early- at around 8pm and before.

Large police presences late at night have also been seen in the city centre over the last couple of days.

Officers were required to remove several members of the public from bars/pubs during these patrols.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “After receiving several calls for service relating to an unauthorised encampment which had set up in the Wellington Street car park in the city centre over the weekend, on Monday we issued a section 60C notice to leave the land.

“As with any unauthorised encampment, assessments were carried out, resulting in us making the decision to issue the notice under section 60C of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, as we believe significant damage, disruption or distress had been, and would likely continue to be caused, in the local area.

“The notice required the group to leave the location and not return within the next 12 months, failure to do so could result in arrest and/or prosecution as well as having vehicles seized.

“The encampment has now moved on from the county.

“A smaller encampment that was moved on from Stuart House, off St John’s Street, yesterday and set up in Brook Street car park has also now moved on.

“There has been an enhanced police presence in the area which will remain in place over the next few days.”