Boston businesses shut after illegal camp set up in town centre

Police had a visible presence in the town centre on Wednesday

Lincolnshire Police said they have served legal notice on an illegal encampment in Boston town centre.

The order means the camp will have to move by Thursday or action will be taken.

A number of reports have been made of anti-social behaviour, including harassment and verbal abuse, linked to the camp.

The town's market was cancelled on Wednesday and pubs shut due to what one witness called "complete chaos".

Boston Borough Council said the market had been cancelled because it was "not deemed safe to erect market stalls".

Boston Market was cancelled following reports of anti-social behaviour in Boston

A trader who has been running a stall in Boston for more than 40 years told BBC Radio Lincolnshire she received an email from the local authority to say "they weren't putting the stalls up".

"I've never, ever, known that happen before," she added.

Council leader Anne Dorrian said she was "furious that our town's businesses, our market and our residents have been affected in this way".

She added: "I'd like our community to be reassured that both Lincolnshire Police and Boston Borough Council are using every power at their disposal to resolve this matter with a degree of urgency, in order that our town centre returns to business as usual, as soon as possible."

A number of caravans have been spotted in the Tunnard Street car park.

The disruption, which witnesses said involved about 70 people, has also led some businesses to take the decision to close or reduce opening hours.

JD Wetherspoon said its Moon Under Water pub had closed at 16.15 BST on Tuesday "after a large influx of people into the town".

"The pub remains closed currently along with, we understand, all others in the town," a spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Caravans arrived in Boston's Tunnard Street car park on Tuesday

Lizzie Burvill, who owns and runs an escape rooms attraction in Pescod Square, said she had witnessed disorder on Tuesday night.

"It was a nightmare to walk through. There was a man having a wee against a shop window and kids throwing stuff at each other, and taking up the whole path," she added.

"It was just anti-social behaviour and complete chaos.

"While no one was actively hurting anybody, it was just very loud, very rowdy and very intimidating."

She said she would be closing early to ensure customers were safe.

Lincolnshire Police said additional officers would be deployed to the area until the encampment had moved on.