MP's plea to holiday parks to stay open for people with 'nowhere else to go'

Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, says he has heard from dozens of people who have been asked to leave but can’t return to their primary residence.

Parks had to close in November to help reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Ministers wrote to park owners last week to say they should stay open for people using them as a primary residence, with nowhere else to live.

Parks should also not close the doors on vulnerable groups or where it is essential for work purposes.

Mr Stuart said: “I’ve heard from dozens of my constituents, and I know there are many more as well, who are being asked to leave because of these new restrictions, but for whatever reason they can’t go back to their homes.

“I know some people’s homes are being refurbished, some live abroad and can’t get back because of travel restrictions, and others are extremely vulnerable people worried about going to live with other family members, who in some cases are frontline NHS workers at greater risk of coronavirus.”

Mr Stuart said he appreciated the difficulties parks were facing, including staff being off sick and having to self-isolate.

He said: “I know it’s hard for parks to stay open with so little money coming in, but some of these people have nowhere else to go.”

It comes ahead of a motion to a meeting of East Riding Council by Lib Dem councillor Mike Heslop-Mullens calling on officers “to help owners stay in their caravans until the pandemic is over”.

Coun Barbara Jefferson, of North Holderness ward and seconder of the motion, said she had been contacted by one elderly and unwell resident who was facing an eviction

She said: “I don’t want to see people going homeless, we’ve got to have a little bit of sympathy here."

A council spokesman said as private businesses it was the parks' choice whether to close or stay open.

He added: “We would urge all owners to use their discretion and, if it is safe to do so, to allow those people who may be vulnerable or do not have another place of residence, to remain on site.”