The first of two versions of the splash together with the colour piece I wrote about the horse fair in Seamer. I was made to feel really welcome by the Travellers and was even given a cup of tea by a guy who made traditional Gypsy caravans.

POLICE were in a stand-off with travellers last night after a convoy of caravans set up camp on a public car park.

The travellers arrived on the pay and display site alongside Filey Golf Course in the early afternoon.

They tethered horses on the grass and it took until 8.45pm for police to persuade the 15 vehicles to move on.

A Filey resident whose home overlooks the site off West Avenue, said: “I couldn’t believe it when all the caravans started to roll up on the car park.

“It was an achievement by the police to move them on. That pay and display will be needed at the weekend and can normally be full.”

The woman, who works for an organisation in Scarborough, but did not want to be identified, added: “It was quite a feat to resolve the situation.”

The incident came after businesses in Crossgates and Seamer say were plagued by youngsters from the travelling community during the annual horse fair.

There were also reports that a popular chip shop at Crossgates had to close because of the problems and anti-social behaviour.

And Simon Brader, the landlord of the Mayfield Hotel in Seamer, said he had lost about £7000 in takings over the past two weeks because people had been put off from visiting his pub.

He said: “We have had the police here virtually every day because of the problems kids are causing.”

Steph Somers, the owner of Seamer Stores, said she had suffered threatening behaviour, theft and abusive language.

She said: “You can tolerate so much. But it is the sheer volume of the kids – that has been the problem this year.

“I almost had to shut the shop a couple of times because it was so critical. Since the incidents, the police presence has been very visible and very reassuring.

“I’ve lived round here all my life but I’ve never witnessed anything like this. When that site opened it was chaos.”

When the Evening News visited Seamer Fisheries staff said a fight had broken out within a group of travellers inside the shop.

A spokesman said the youngsters were more rowdy and difficult to deal with but they had managed to continue trading during the two week period.

A North Yorkshire police spokesman confirmed that they had received two reports of shop theft at the Seamer Stores, with one culprit as young as seven, but had made no arrests.

Cllr Roxanne Murphy, who represents people living in the Seamer area, said shops had suffered thefts and a nearby play area had been damaged.

She added: “None of the local kids are going there because of the threatening behaviour. I think the residents of Seamer and the surrounding area want to see it abolished completely.” 

From the Scarborough Evening News, Saturday, July 16, 2011.

Fears grow over fair travellers

BUSINESSES in Crossgates and Seamer say they have been plagued by youngsters from the travelling community during the annual horse fair.

The news follows reports that a chip shop in the area had to close because of the problems and anti-social behaviour.

Simon Brader, the landlord of the Mayfield Hotel in Seamer, said he had lost about £7,000 in takings over the past two weeks because people had been put off from visiting his pub.

He said: “We have had the police here virtually every day because of the problems kids are causing.”

Steph Somers, the owner of Seamer Stores, said she had suffered threatening behaviour, theft and abusive language.

She said: “You can tolerate so much. But it is the sheer volume of the kids – that has been the problem this year.

“I almost had to shut the shop a couple of times because it was so critical. Since the incidents, the police presence has been very visible and very reassuring.

“I’ve lived round here all my life but I’ve never witnessed anything like this. When that site opened it was chaos.”

When the Evening News visited Seamer Fisheries staff said that a fight had broken out within a group of travellers inside the shop.

A spokesman said the youngsters were more rowdy and difficult to deal with but they had managed to continue trading during the two week period.

A North Yorkshire police spokesman confirmed that they had received two reports of shop theft at the Seamer Stores, with one culprit as young as seven, but had made no arrests.

Cllr Roxanne Murphy, who represents people living in the Seamer area, said shops had suffered thefts and a nearby play area had been damaged.

She added: “None of the local kids are going there because of the threatening behaviour. I think the residents of Seamer and the surrounding area want to see it abolished completely.” 

From the Scarborough Evening News, Saturday, July 16, 2011.

Tradition trots on

FOLLOWING a tradition said to date back to the 14th century, the ancient Seamer charter was read yesterday,

in several locations around the village, with youngsters eagerly collecting coins which were thrown for good luck.

The reading was made by John Senior, headteacher of George Pindar Community Sports College, who said it was an honour to be involved.

He said: “It’s a good chance to be involved with the community and give a positive message on how communities can work together.”

Cllr Dorothy Morrison, a members of Seamer Parish Council and one of the fair’s organisers, said: “The tradition will carry on as long as we are here. It’s gone on since 1383 – the sixth year of the reign of King Richard II. The kids absolutely love it.”

Locals welcomed youngsters from the travelling community who arrived by horse and cart and also collected some of the coins.

Cllr Hayley Pickles, of the parish council and one of the organisers, said: “It’s been brilliant this year. We’ve had no trouble and everyone’s enjoyed it. The past is in the past and we can move forward and get along side-by-side.”

The reading of the Royal Charter is the start to the Seamer Fair, which is said to date back to when Richard II granted the charter, allowing the village to hold a six-day fair and a Monday Market.

However the tradition died out, until 200 years later when the fair and market were brought back to life by Sir Henry Gate, Lord of the Manor of Seamer.

Alongside the Seamer Fair is the Seamer Horse Fair, which is considered a separate entity.

This year more than 200 caravans have been on the council-owned land, to the north of the B1261 between Seamer and Crossgates, since Wednesday last week.

Andy Skelton, head of environmental services said: “We are very pleased that the space we have allocated for visitor parking has worked because that’s minimised disruption.”

Reuben Wilkinson, a traveller from Bradford, said the site had worked well this year. He added: “I think this is the biggest fair it has been here in a lot of years.”

As well as the horse trading, there were a lot more stalls these days.

From the Scarborough Evening News on Saturday, July 16, 2011.

Travellers: public question ‘success’

BOSSES at a chip shop in the Scarborough area are taking the drastic step of shutting up shop during next year’s Seamer Horse Fair.

Sue Green, the joint owner of Crossgates Fish and Chip Shop, said the problems she had experienced this year had been worse than ever.

She said: “We had to close the cafe because I couldn’t control them in the cafe. I’d already had trouble with them – they caused a bit of nuisance and some went without paying.

“I am closing the whole shop for a week next year. Financially I can’t afford it but I am not putting my staff through that again.”

She said there were problems with bad language and her regular customers felt intimidated and had kept away while the travellers were there. She added: “I showed the travellers respect, as I would to any customer, I can’t see why they disrespected me.”

Brian Thompson, of Bell Close, said one of his neighbours was narrowly missed by a lemonade bottle which was thrown by traveller youths. He added:

“When he asked the youths not to climb over our perimeter fence at first they complied but later came over in droves, foul mouthed and noisy and broke all his flower pots.”

The horse fair was held on Friday with an official site on council-owned land, to the north of the B1261 between Seamer and Crossgates, open for a total of 10 days.

Andy Skelton, Scarborough Council’s head of environmental services, said council staff had consulted with travellers and the police and next year the site will be open for just seven days.

He said: “In consultation with the police we’ve started provisional planning for next year’s event. It will be for a shorter period. As each traveller left they were given a leaflet advising them when it will be open next year.”

Mr Skelton said he was satisfied that the site had successfully fulfilled its purpose which was to contain the travellers and to minimise the risk of caravans setting up camp elsewhere.

He said: “Travellers were told that the site must be vacated by 6pm on the day of the fair and the last traveller left the site at 6.08pm – having been delayed by a mechanical breakdown.

“Council staff were able to get on the site to commence the clean up before the travellers left and the site was cleansed by lunchtime on Saturday.”

Acting Superintendent Dave Foster, who was in charge of the 10 day police operation, said the fair went as well as could be expected. He added: “The policing operation was put in place to ensure the fair had as little affect on the local community.”

He said that there were increased police patrols in the area and officers tried to respond quickly to incidents to reassure the public. He added: “Where incidents did take place we responded very quickly and we had a high police presence during the whole 10 days.”

Acting Supt Foster said that one additional problem this year was the fact that the fair was on a Friday. He said: “We had to make sure that the site closed on the 15th without people stopping for the weekend or for the week.”

From the Scarborough Evening News, Tuesday, July 19, 2011.

Machine gun police raid gypsy camp

Because of the discovery of a machine gun we kept our distance (above). But when we turned up on this Scunthorpe campsite (below) we were surprisingly welcomed so you can never tell how things will turn out.

From the from the North West Evening Mail on Thursday, November 16, 1995, and the Scunthorpe Telegraph on Saturday, June 19, 2004.