Tent ban leaves Windsor’s fanatical early birds catching a chill
NOTHING was going to stop 56-yearold Faith Nicholson from bagging her place at the gates of Windsor Castle. Not the prospect of a long wait before catching a glimpse of the royal couple, not the night-time chill, and certainly not an edict from the chief constable of Thames Valley Police.
Mrs Nicholson and dozens of other dedicated royal fans are having to spend their nights shivering under the stars after being stopped by police from erecting tents on the pavement outside the castle.
“The temperature fell to five degrees and at about 4am it got frosty,” said Mrs Nicholson, from Poplar in east London, who arrived on Wednesday.
“It was pretty cold. But we’ve all been looking after each other. I was at Charles and Diana’s wedding and I had to be here for this one because it’s like I’m completing the family circle.” Police allowed the early arrivals to use only sleeping bags, fold-up chairs and camping mats.
“We nearly froze to death last night,” said Bernadette Christie, a pensioner who took three flights from Alberta, Canada, to witness tomorrow’s spectacle. The ban left her struggling to stay warm with just a sleeping bag and a blanket. Mrs Christie added: “I was told by an officer I could not put my tent up. He didn’t explain why, but I guess it’s because it might get in the way. Perhaps they don’t want us to look like homeless people after all the fuss made about getting them off the streets.”
Dianne Donohue, 69, who arrived from Leek, Staffs, with her daughter Emma, 41, said: “It was freezing. We weren’t too happy.”
Thames Valley Police said tents had been banned to prevent blockages along the wedding procession route.