SPORTS CENTRE FORCED TO CLOSE
DRASTIC MOVE AFTER TRAVELLERS SET UP CAMP ON LAND CLOSE BY
A SPORTS centre has been forced to close due to concerns raised by staff and users about an illegal traveller encampment nearby.
Bosses at Everyone Active took the decision to close the Jubilee Sports Centre on Wednesday and no official re-opening date has been given as yet.
It follows the arrival of almost 20 caravans on land near to the sports centre, off Greenmoor Road, on Tuesday night.
Benjamin Betteridge, Everyone Active’s general manager for Jubilee Sports Centre, said: “We are aware of the encampment on land near to the front entrance of Jubilee Sports Centre. It has been brought to the attention of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, who are now dealing with the matter.
“In response to concerns expressed by colleagues and customers, we have decided to close the centre. It will remain closed today and we will keep our members and visitors updated on its reopening via our social media pages. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”
The borough council served directions to move off on 18 caravans but more are understood to have arrived on the site last night.
If the encampment does not move by this evening, the council will be seeking a court date to gain the powers to have bailiffs evict them.
The arrival at the sports centre land harks back to the summer of 2015 , when the now infamous ‘Butlins holiday camp’ sign appeared next to the Jubilee.
This was in protest to the longrunning problems with illegal traveller encampments in the town.
Measures were put in place to try and stop travellers getting onto the site, including a height barrier and a trip rail fence.
But it appears that the yellow height barrier has been damaged.
In the meantime, travellers who were on land on the Gala Field off Avenue Road and in Clovelly Way have now moved off, just hours before bailiffs were due to step in.