Sheringham Bus Shelter Protesters Defiant as Bailiffs Deployed
In a dramatic turn of events, protesters occupying Sheringham's 1950s bus shelter refused to vacate the site despite bailiffs being deployed by Norfolk county council. The situation escalated after council officials served an eviction notice to the campaigners, citing accessibility and safety concerns.
Protesters, who have been camping at the shelter for over a week, claim that their occupation is lawful and argue that the council has disregarded the views of local residents, who are keen to preserve the historic structure. The protesters' determination has garnered significant support from locals, with several people bringing food and drink to the site.
According to Councillor Liz Withington, who was alerted to the arrival of bailiffs on Monday morning, the enforcement officials were intimidating and refused to engage in negotiations. "Enforcement officers were sitting very intimidatingly across the road from us, so we can't leave the shelter or even go to the loo," Withington said.
The local Liberal Democrat MP, Steff Aquarone, expressed concerns about the council's behaviour, describing it as "intimidating" and "bullying". The MP has questioned the legality of the demolition and eviction notice, arguing that the shelter is owned by Sheringham town council. A meeting is due to take place to discuss the future of the shelter.
Despite the deployment of bailiffs, work on the site remains suspended pending a decision from the local town council. However, it appears that the protesters will continue to occupy the shelter, with over 3,000 people having signed a petition to save the historic structure.
The bus shelter in question is an iconic part of Sheringham's heritage, and its demolition has sparked widespread outrage among locals. The situation highlights the tensions between local residents and authorities, with many feeling that their voices are not being heard. As one protester noted, "It is quite an iconic building. People have met at the bus shelter, people have sat waiting with grandmas and grandads for buses when they were little."
In a dramatic turn of events, protesters occupying Sheringham's 1950s bus shelter refused to vacate the site despite bailiffs being deployed by Norfolk county council. The situation escalated after council officials served an eviction notice to the campaigners, citing accessibility and safety concerns.
Protesters, who have been camping at the shelter for over a week, claim that their occupation is lawful and argue that the council has disregarded the views of local residents, who are keen to preserve the historic structure. The protesters' determination has garnered significant support from locals, with several people bringing food and drink to the site.
According to Councillor Liz Withington, who was alerted to the arrival of bailiffs on Monday morning, the enforcement officials were intimidating and refused to engage in negotiations. "Enforcement officers were sitting very intimidatingly across the road from us, so we can't leave the shelter or even go to the loo," Withington said.
The local Liberal Democrat MP, Steff Aquarone, expressed concerns about the council's behaviour, describing it as "intimidating" and "bullying". The MP has questioned the legality of the demolition and eviction notice, arguing that the shelter is owned by Sheringham town council. A meeting is due to take place to discuss the future of the shelter.
Despite the deployment of bailiffs, work on the site remains suspended pending a decision from the local town council. However, it appears that the protesters will continue to occupy the shelter, with over 3,000 people having signed a petition to save the historic structure.
The bus shelter in question is an iconic part of Sheringham's heritage, and its demolition has sparked widespread outrage among locals. The situation highlights the tensions between local residents and authorities, with many feeling that their voices are not being heard. As one protester noted, "It is quite an iconic building. People have met at the bus shelter, people have sat waiting with grandmas and grandads for buses when they were little."
I'm literally shook by this news! The fact that over 3,000 ppl are fighting to save a bus shelter is insane 
! It's not just about the physical structure, it's about preserving history and community spirit. I love how locals have rallied around these protesters and brought food & drink to the site 
. The council should be ashamed of trying to intimidate ppl into leaving, especially when they're fighting for something that's so dear to their hearts 
. Let's get behind these amazing ppl and show our support! 
The fact that locals are standing up for this historic landmark is awesome, and I'm loving the community spirit 
. It's all about preserving our heritage and not letting the powers that be bully us around 
. If 3,000 people signed a petition to save it, they must be doing something right 
! The council needs to listen to the locals and find a way to balance progress with preservation 
!
! I mean, can't we just leave old buildings alone? They're part of our history, right? The fact that 3k people signed a petition to save this one bus shelter is wild. It's like the council doesn't even care about preserving the community's heritage. And now they're deploying bailiffs and intimidating protesters? Not cool 
. I get why locals want to keep it – it's just so iconic!
i mean what is wrong with these ppl from norfolk cntty council ?? can't they just listen to what locals are sayin ?? it's not like they're causin any harm just sittin in a bus shelter 
and all those 3k ppl who signed that petition are right behind them too 
i'm so with the lib dem mp steff aquarone on this one 
. its not like they're tryna destroy some random building, its a historic bus shelter! locals r sayin it's got sentimental value & its part of the town's heritage... why can't council just listen 2 them instead of being all aggressive 
? 
i mean, it's not like its gonna collapse or anything. locals are being super dramatic about preserving some 50s architecture. but honestly, who's really gonna care if its gone? 
and whats with all these petition signatures? 3k people? that's just a tiny fraction of sheringham's population... and what's the plan to save it anyway?
. I mean, who wouldn't want to save an iconic 50s bus shelter? It's like Norfolk County Council is trying to erase history or something... 
The petition numbers are insane, over 3k people signed! But what really got me is the local MP Steff Aquarone calling out the council for intimidation tactics 
. Like, shouldn't they be having a constructive conversation instead of deploying bailiffs? It's all about listening to the community and finding a solution that works for everyone