Homelessness 'No simple solution' to park tents

THE council has said there is no “simple solution” to help rough sleepers living in tents at Bristol parks.

- Angus MCINTYRE

Tents have been seen in parks throughout the city this summer, including St James' Park near Bristol coach station, Eastville Park and Castle Park.

While Bristol City Council has confirmed that camping is not permitted on its land, it says it is taking a “supportive approach” to homeless people who are using tents for shelter. Homelessness in the city has been increasing, as it has across the UK, over the last five years. After a summer of warm weather, more people could be choosing to live in the city’s green spaces rather than streets or doorways.

Lauren Cherry, Bristol outreach coordinator at St Mungo’s homelessness charity, said it was hard to say for sure if there were more people sleeping in tents than before.

She said: “I think one of the reasons that our numbers go up during the summer is there's quite a few more transient people around who may not struggle as much sleeping in a tent in the summer as they would in the winter.”