Travellers depart Edinburgh park after a 'week of hell' for locals but leave mess behind in Newcraighall
A group of travellers who took over an Edinburgh park for just over a week, finally left yesterday evening after the council issued a Notice to Quit order.
The group arrived at Newcraighall Park in around 20 caravans on Wednesday, May 14. Their arrival brought misery to locals, with many having claimed they felt intimidated. Residents living near the park also accused the group of making the public park a “no-go zone”, with scheduled children’s sports events cancelled.
The travellers were issued with a 48-hour Notice to Quit by Sheriff officers on Tuesday, May 20, and left the park on Thursday evening.
While locals are relieved that they have left after a ‘week of hell’, there is still anger at the mess which has been let behind, despite the council having left four large wheelie bins in the park for them to use.
The council has now cleared up the mess left by the travellers at Newcraighall Park.
One local resident, who asked not to be named, told the Evening News: “I’m delighted they are gone, relieved. It’s been a complete and utter nightmare for the past week. A week of hell.
“It’s good to see locals back in the park walking their dogs there again. Nobody went into the park when the travellers were there, it was a no-go zone. I spoke to one of my neighbours this morning who said she got her first good night’s sleep last night after a week of sleepless nights because of the travellers.”
Commenting on the mess the travellers have left behind, before the council clear-up on Friday afternoon, the local resident added: “The council put out four massive bins at the park when the travellers arrived, but they have just left their waste everywhere. The bins are completely empty.
“They couldn’t be bothered to walk to the entrance to the park where the bins were. They literally passed the bins every time they came and went.
“They have dumped all sorts around the park, bin bags, human waste, a cot, a pram, it’s mad. There’s mess everywhere really, in the hedgerows and in the long grass, they’ve ruined our beautiful park.”
Although Newcraighall residents are delighted that the travellers have left, there is still tension regarding any possible return in the future.
The local resident added: “I’m still a bit apprehensive. I worry and I’m nervous that they could return, unless the council do something to stop them getting back in the park. That’s the general feeling here, barriers need to be put in place to stop travellers getting onto Newcraighall Park.
“Everyone is so happy they have left this time, but we do think the council needs to do more to prevent this happening again. It shouldn’t be that easy to take over and shut down a public park.”
The City of Edinburgh Council confirmed the site has now been cleared at Newcraighall Park following the travellers’ one-week stay.