Family-sized tent pitched in Brighton for more than a month

The Argus first reported on the encampment in Princes Place, Brighton, on December 13 – and the family-sized tent is still there.

A second smaller tent is also pitched next to it.

Chef Peter Papp, who works at the Bella Italia restaurant opposite, told The Argus last month that the man living there had apologised to him but said he had been forced to move to the street to be safer as there had been a string of crimes around his previous location.

But Mr Papp said it was “not very nice” for people walking through the city to see tents.

A homeless man outside the tent, who said he was not the occupant, argued that rough sleepers “have to put up tents” or “we would be dead otherwise”.

Brighton and Hove City Council said the occupant of the tent is known to it and work was continuing to help the person move off the street.

But it said the tent was not blocking a public highway so its legal powers were limited.

A spokesman said: “The council works with partner agencies and the voluntary sector to take a city-wide approach to ending the need for people to rough sleep.

“We always aim to consider the individual needs of people sleeping rough when offering support while also balancing this with the potential impact of the loss of community space as well as wider issues around antisocial behaviour, wellbeing and safety for all involved.”

The tent is one of many which have been pitched in streets across Brighton and Hove.

Andy Winter, chief executive of homeless charity Brighton Housing Trust, said tents in the city could represent a risk to both occupants and people looking to help those living in them.

He said: “They can actually be dangerous for the dweller and the outreach workers.

“The dweller can be exploited in the tent.

“If there is a medical emergency, no one can see them.

“Often the tents handed out by people with good intentions might not be appropriate for extreme weather conditions like the ones we are expecting.

“So the dweller thinks they are safe inside but may not be.

“The tent dwellers are our primary concern.

But the outreach workers have to approach a tent not knowing who is in there or what is going on inside.

“The issue is they could be exposing themselves to a dangerous situation.

“That’s not saying all tent dwellers are dangerous.”

Nikki Homewood, the charity’s director of services, said: “For rough sleepers, it makes them invisible.

“You can’t see whether they are well, in trouble or distressed.

“Staff trying to make contact with them can’t access them.

“You can’t open their tent, it’s their property.

“I can see why people do it, I always thought if I was a rough sleeper I would want to be hidden.”

But she reiterated the possible dangers facing rough sleepers using tents in Brighton and Hove.