'Significant damage, disruption or distress has been caused'- Police forced to remove people from bars as Travellers ordered lo leave Peterborough city centre car park

Police in Peterborough have ordered an encampment of Traveller caravans to leave the Wellington Street car park, close to the city centre.

The encampment arrived at the site late last week, and were also seen at the Stuart House, across the road on St John’s Street.

In issuing a section 60C of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, police have stated they they believe “significant damage, disruption or distress has been caused in the local area.”

The Peterborough Telegraph understands that over the last three days, a number of pubs and bars on Broadway and in the wider city centre have been closing early ahead of anticipated problems.

Police have also confirmed that there was once again a large presence of officers in the city centre on Monday night (August 21) and those officers were forced to remove several people from premises.

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

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

The notice requires 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.

“A high-visibility police presence continues to be in place.

"There has been an enhanced police presence at the encampment and the city centre overnight. Where incidents have been reported police have attended, which included removing people from licensed premises in the area.

“This remains an ongoing matter and officers will remain at the location throughout the day.”