Beach camper says eviction will be 'death' of him

Eviction on naturist beach

A man who was living in a tent on the naturist beach near Black Rock has criticised Brighton and Hove City Council following his eviction on 30 October. Neil, who asked not to provide his surname, had been camping on the beach since July.

When the council evicted the group, possessions were left strewn across the beach. Neil explained that these items had been left by the council after they dismantled the camp, not abandoned by campers. He said he had attempted to move his belongings himself but could not fully clear the site until council workers returned early the following week.

"I told the council that I was going to move my stuff," Neil said. "It was two o'clock in the afternoon when they came round and took me off the beach. So, from two o'clock to 11 o'clock at night, I was hands on."

Life on the beach

Neil described his tent accommodation as substantial. "I had created a home" with a bed, hard flooring, shower and toilet, he explained. At its peak, around 15 people were living permanently on the beach, though most had left before the eviction.

The council had issued a formal notice on 1 September requiring the group to remove their belongings by 9.30am. A community police officer later visited to inform campers that bailiffs would attend on 13 October. Council bailiffs did attend on that date, but the group remained until the full eviction on 30 October.

Brighton and Hove City Council said it had given people additional time to remove their belongings before returning the following week.

Ongoing homelessness

Neil highlighted that the eviction does not address the underlying issue. "This happens every year and it's going to happen next year again for a lot of people," he said. "I'm homeless, I haven't got anywhere to go."

He had previously been sleeping near Black Rock but was hospitalised after catching pneumonia. Following his discharge, he was placed in temporary accommodation in Eastbourne. Some of those evicted from the camp are now sofa-surfing, whilst Neil and another person have moved into a makeshift hut by the beach.

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