Council working to reopen encampment cemetery

Rock Cemetery shut on 12 August for an initial two-week period

A council says it has launched a review with a view to reopening a city cemetery two months after its closure.

Rock Cemetery, on the corner of Mansfield Road and Forest Road East in Nottingham, shut on 12 August for an initial two-week period.

Officials said a small encampment of people, believed to be homeless, moved into the cemetery grounds in the spring.

Since then, there have been a number of anti-social behaviour issues, including drug problems, litter and human excrement left on the ground.

The council said the group remained at the site, near the Forest Recreation Ground, after several months of support and encouragement to leave.

"Staff continue to work with colleagues and external agencies to sort the encampment issues at the Rock Cemetery," said a Nottingham City Council spokesperson.

"A review is currently taking place to look at the next steps and to confirm a plan to reopen the site as soon as possible."

'Logical' space

Homeless charity campaigners in the region believe the group have decided to camp in the area over safety concerns.

"If you consider the circumstance of someone who is sleeping on the streets, one of the greatest concerns is safety," said Claire Eden from Framework, a charity that supports homeless people in Nottingham.

"If you go to a cemetery, it closes at dusk. Overnight, you will be relatively safe and you will not be spat at, abused or urinated on.

"There's logic attached to choosing this as a safe space.

"You only see a tiny proportion of the people who are sleeping rough, if you walk around the city centre."

People seeking green space around the area can still use the Forest Recreation Park.

Despite the closure, the city council is still taking bookings for tours of the cemetery.