No show from Harmire Enterprise Park owner in talks to stop traveller trespasses in Barney

ATTEMPTS to address the problem of illegal traveller camps in part of Barnard Castle are being thwarted due to a lack of co-operation from the landowners.
Town councillor Tony Cooke, who is also chairman of the Teesdale Residents and Travellers’ Forum, said illegal encampments on part of the Harmire Enterprise Park had caused problems for the past two years.
However, any attempts to work out a solution had stalled because representatives of UK Land Estates, which owns the park, and Knight Frank, its management agency, would not turn up to meetings.
“We can’t do very much if representatives for this area don’t attend. It is pointless of them complaining if they don’t turn up,” Cllr Cooke told a Barnard Castle Town Council meeting last week.
“We do offer them alternative sites, but travellers go where they want."
Updating colleagues on the forum’s work, he said this year’s Appleby Fair would take place from June 8 to 14.
He said the Shaw Bank temporary stop-over site would be open from May 25 to June 23, although there was some flexibility.
“For the last two years, a lot of the travellers have not come back this way. If there is no occupation of Shaw Bank, then it will close earlier.”
Cllr Cooke said the parking restrictions on Bridgegate, Barnard Castle, would be in force from May 25 until the travellers had passed through, and Durham County Council’s wardens would provide cover in the town as they had done for the last two years.
Water bowsers will be provided for travellers’ horses at Shaw Bank and Broomielaw and Cllr Cooke emphasised this was not for human consumption. He said he was also concerned about the low numbers of people attending forum meetings.
“Only five people attended two meetings ago and there were six at the last meeting. It seems to have dropped off until Appleby starts, but it is no use people turning up the week before Appleby with a problem. We need to keep the forum going,” said Cllr Cooke.
He also told councillors a similar forum had been established in West Auckland, but it was struggling to find land suitable for use as temporary stop-over traveller sites. Councillors noted the information.

where they want.”