TRAVELLERS who set up camp on Chester Football Club’s car park were evicted – and moved just yards down the road.
Almost exactly a year after a group of French Travellers moved on to the Blues home ground on Bumpers Lane, off Sealand Road, six caravans and RVs were seen driving through the open gates and parking up on Friday afternoon.
The group of Irish Travellers had until 11am yesterday (Wednesday) to move off the Exacta Stadium site, after Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) issued them with an eviction notice.
But at the time they were due to leave the site, the caravans moved just yards down the road and set up camp on land off Sovereign Way.
Blues chief executive Pat Cluskey said nothing could be done to stop the Travellers entering the car park, owned by CWaC, as the gates had to be left open in the day to allow staff and visitors into the club.
“As far as I am aware there have been no issues with the Travellers,” said Mr Cluskey.
“We gave the local authority a ring as soon as they arrived and they have issued them with an eviction notice.
“The car park is owned by the council, we have to keep the gates open during working hours so people can come and go, there is not a lot we can do to stop them.”
Council spokeswoman Shirley Wingfield said enforcement officers had visited the group and informed them they had no right to remain on the car park.
“The Travellers arrived on Friday evening and they have been served with a notice to leave by 11am on Wednesday,” she said.
