Vandals strike at former Euxton pub following Travellers eviction

A former pub site occupied by Travellers last week has now been vandalised.
By Tom Earnshaw, Reporter
Published 5th Mar 2019, 07:32 BST
Updated 5th Mar 2019, 08:38 BST
High Court enforcement officers at the former Railway site last week to evict illegally parked travellersHigh Court enforcement officers at the former Railway site last week to evict illegally parked travellers
High Court enforcement officers at the former Railway site last week to evict illegally parked travellers

Amanda Hilton has taken over the former Railway pub in Wigan Road, Euxton, with extensive plans to transform the site into a nursery as a new branch of her set of Nature Trail Nursery business.

Over the weekend the site was targeted by trespassers, with two boys aged 13 and 14 smashing a window and entering the former ale house.

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Amanda said: “It is just damage to the building, but it is very sad, time consuming and more cost.

High Court enforcement officers at the former Railway site last week to evict illegally parked travellersHigh Court enforcement officers at the former Railway site last week to evict illegally parked travellers
High Court enforcement officers at the former Railway site last week to evict illegally parked travellers

“This kind of incident is having a wider impact on our business.”

Lancashire Police confirmed neither boy - who are from Chorley - was arrested, instead resorting to “restorative justice” whereby the window will be repaired and the boys apologised to Ms Hilton.

Last Wednesday members of the Gypsy and Traveller community set up shop at the Wigan Road site, with three caravans and cars on the land.

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Amanda said she was “worried there might be more on the way”.

High Court enforcement officersHigh Court enforcement officers
High Court enforcement officers

Court enforcement officers presented them with an eviction notice last Thursday, leaving the site at 9.55am.

The two delays to the site come as Amanda has vented her frustrations at getting the nursery open.

As part of the planning permission for the nursery a Section 278 agreement was finalised, with the nursery owners carrying out work to the pavement and road outside the nursery to make it more accessible.

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Amanda says she has been given a six month time frame in which this could be completed.

The former Railway pub in Euxton which is being transformed into a nurseryThe former Railway pub in Euxton which is being transformed into a nursery
The former Railway pub in Euxton which is being transformed into a nursery

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council, which is responsible for highways, said: "For the developer to be able to carry out the changes to the highway agreed as part of the planning permission, they first have to make an agreement with the county council covering various legal issues, agree a detailed design, and obtain permits for access to the highway.

"Since the developer's representatives first made contact with the county council on 11 January 2019 we have responded promptly to their correspondence and expect to contact them early this week with a draft legal agreement.

"However we will need to receive the developer's detailed design in order to progress this further."