The apologists on this thread need to get real. There's no 'code of conduct', other than leaving a trail of destruction wherever they choose to go. Ealing Common is a ridiculously soft target, how many times in the last few years have they pitched up, trashed the place and then left without a care in the world? Add to that Pitshanger Park, Gunnersbury Park, Gurnell, Perivale.....the list goes on, just about anywhere that's accessible to their caravans. A couple of years back they went around touting waste removal services, which earned them a few bob, all of which was dumped in Gunnersbury Park - who paid for the cleanup? Sports grounds are regularly trashed, my own football club very nearly went under because they couldn't afford the repairs, in the end we all chipped in with extra subs, ran a few fundraisers and helped with the cleaning operation, but the entire season's income was lost. Plus we had to rent other pitches. Earlier this summer I read about a 200 year old tree at a cricket club cut down to be used for firewood. It might be slightly more understandable if this was winter and they needed the heat to survive, but no, this was for their own amusement. Poor misunderstood people.I've witnessed them using the common as a toilet and seen the leftover excrement when they've moved on. Which poor bugger was assigned that clean up task?I suspect the council's study concluded that they would want to use a designated transit site, they'd prefer to go somewhere where they can do exactly as they please with zero consequences. So please don't get the violins out and talk about a code of conduct, can't you see they're laughing at us? There needs to be tough action taken, but I won't be holding my breath.
Philip Slater ● 2980d