Gypsy / traveller's sites close by - how bad is it actually?

[Grassman]

Seen a gypsy once and that was in the republic, must be all over in England

Once!
I see travellers most days unfortunately.
One called at a property I was working at yesterday. He had some spare tarmac as he was cleaning the bin out (err it doesn't work like that!) and would tarmac the drive with it. I told him the owner wouldn't be interested. He got very aggressive with questioning me about why I should be making decisions for the owner!

 

[Johnny400]

We are next door to one site and have had very little bother from them, so far touch wood. One crowd weren't too bad until they went off and bought their own piece of land. The last few lots that have come and gone making a right mess everytime. The area was always cleaned up every autumn for them then to come again in the summer to dump everything and anything and leave it a right mess again. Thinking maybe we were too close, but know of farms a little further away that constantly had things going. Gates, trailers, batteries, diesel etc. They have now closed the site meantime as the council were wanting to make it a proper serviced site for them but locals so far have stopped it.

 

[Danllan]

If the CPS / Police are serious about dealing with these types, they can charge and hold them for any number of different reasons. I knew some judges who would set bail / surety at the max. every time there was a 'traveller' in court, just because they got so p*ssed off with them doing runners before.

However, there was one stipe. (District Judge now) who - it has been alleged - used to set things rather low, then when they had finally been caught again, they were in contempt and could be nailed for something more serious than the original charge i.e. the contempt etc.... creative 'justice' for a better Britain !

 

[J 1177]

The council run site (near those graves) was refurbished in 2010. They were put in council houses and the bother we got exploded. As soon as the site reopened it calmed down.

 

[Dry Rot]

Watching 'Cant pay we'll take it away' last night and the bailiffs were given the job of moving on some travellers that had parked up in a business's car park, turned up and tiny kids pelted the men and their vehicle with stones...smashing windows, F'ing and blinding...jesus..spawn of the devil they were..
Bailiffs told the travellers they had 24hrs to leave but Gypo's told them to fudge off and became intimidating, more of them turned up.....anyway a barrier was placed across the entrance meaning they couldn't move their caravans and hey presto...gone within the hour.

They don't like it up 'em

To be fair, I read it differently. It certainly looked all set for a confrontation and the kids were little sods. But the bailiffs were polite and reasonable with the travellers and gave them 24 hours to move. The travellers pointed out that they couldn't move because of the barrier across the gate. Once the barrier was removed, the travellers shifted within the hour. Yes, they did call up their mates but when the situation was explained that ended amicably too. I seem to recall the bailiffs shaking hands with the travellers at the end of the affair.

I dealt with a settled traveller for years. He was a game farmer and I was after pheasant eggs. He always invited me to come in July when I'd get surplus eggs he didn't need for hatching. He wouldn't take payment, just asked for return in kind which cost me nothing.

I used to get them visiting here trying to sell gates and stuff. The gates were made up from scrap pipes and didn't last so I only bought once. It was always the wife that tried to do the selling. One time they came and I told them I didn't need any gates, but the woman started on her sales routine anyway. After 20 minutes, she said, "You really don't want any gates, do you?" I agreed and told her I was just interested to see how long she could keep going! They never came around again!

I try to treat everyone fairly, until they cheat or lie, and I can honestly say I've never had a problem with travellers. First O'Mayers are another matter. (i.e. those are the low life who live in a council house for the winter and just go on the road over the summer).

 

[Juggler]

@Dry Rot It was on again last night, and I'd missed the fact that the barrier was already there when I first watched it, which does put a different slant on it in fairness.

 

[merino]

The local travelling family own a couple acres to the north of us. After the council pulled some questionable legal shenanigans to get them moved from their chosen site outside of town they moved a pile of their vehicles there. It looks sort of like a caravan park now, which doesn’t bother me.

Myself and my brothers and sisters went to school with the younger generation, my father has sold hay to them on numerous occasions, as far as we can tell they’re good guys. They always pay for their hay and they work hard. They’re regular people who happen to live in caravans. At this stage I’m quite suspicious of people who say they can’t get on with those horrible travelling people. It's a big country I suppose it might be different somewhere else.

 

[Lincsman]

bugger

Thanks everyone, thoughts as much but didn't want to believe it.

its a hard one from a planning perspective for new sites as they have to provide some somewhere. Had best get reading up on this

Why do we?, they can buy a house and stay in one place so they can be found on court day.

 

[roadrunner13]

I think you will find they managed to get themselves branded as a different legal entertity.

The council now has an obligation to provide them with sites.

 

[Cowgirl]

I am sure there are some good ones - I agree the true gypsies / Romanys are probably fine - it's the "criminals in caravans" that spoil it for them and everybody else.

 

[Dry Rot]

I used to live on Speyside. When pearl fishing was legal, we'd get a family living in a bender who kept everything immaculate, complete with a hen in a little pen to provide eggs! When they left, you'd never know they'd been.

Then we'd get the other sort. Drunkeness, theft, filth and rubbish....

I treat people as I find them and try not to be judgemental. Speak softly -- but carry a big stick!