A SMALL group of travellers have sparked concerns by setting up camp in Tavistock.

The community, travelling with cars, vans and around half a dozen large caravans, are parked at the Wharf Car Park, where they arrived on Sunday morning.

John Sheldon, West Devon Borough Councillor for the ward, said there had been an immediate reaction to their presence on social media.

‘People were concerned,’ he said. ‘This is going to cause inconvenience for residents of Tavistock and it will mean a loss of income from the car parking spaces they are occupying. I am worried it will impact on The Wharf and Meadowlands too.

‘I’m hoping that they will move on quite quickly rather than force an injunction to be taken out to move them, which would be another cost.

‘I am not sure there is a long-term solution — this is a European-wide problem and I don’t know whether the travelling community would use official sites if they were provided. I don’t think travellers want to be members of the Caravan Club.’

A group of travellers also visited Tavistock in July last year, setting up temporary home at Riverside.

Fellow Tavistock councillor Jeff Moody said: ‘John and I will work with West Devon Borough Council officers for an early resolution and an ongoing management plan to prevent a recurrence.

‘It seems to be a seasonal issue.’

One member of the group told the Times: ‘We’ll only be here for a few days.

’Now it’s summer all the camp sites are filling up and it’s hard.

‘We’ll not cause any fuss and we’ll be gone in a few days.’

Speaking in an Irish accent, the woman said all travellers were ‘tarred with the same brush’ though not all groups caused problems.

Tavistock Police said they had been called to the Queen’s Head in the town centre on Sunday evening, where some members of the group left without incident or difficulty.

A West Devon Borough Council spokesperson said: ’We are aware that travellers arrived in the Wharf car park over the weekend.

‘The use of the car park for overnight camping is not authorised and the council is taking steps to secure the removal of all vehicles associated with the unauthorised occupation of the car park.’

The gypsy and traveller liaison officer at Devon County Council, who will be a point of contact for advice and help, has been informed.

The travellers can be asked to move on, said the council — the period of time for which they’re entitled to stay is determined on a case by case basis.

‘If it is found that disabled spaces are being taken, then our approach to travellers aims to be firm but fair, balanced and handled on a case by case basis,’ said the council.

There are two official sites for the travelling community in Devon, at Sourton and Broadclyst.