Squatters refuse to leave petrol station (From Enfield Independent)

Squatters refuse to leave petrol station in Thrifty MOT Centre in Brimsdown

1:26pm Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News By Hermione Wright

Squatters refusing to leave a derelict petrol station have been warned they have until tomorrow morning to move on.

Bailiffs tried to evict up to seven squatters living in the Thrifty MOT Centre in Brimsdown on Thursday, but after hours of police negotiations, they were given extra time to remove their second-hand vehicles and tools from the site.

The Enfield Independent understands police officers are expected to storm the locked up site in Brimsdown Avenue tomorrow morning to force the squatters to leave if they have not already done so.

Maniza Alrai, who runs the Brimsdown Post Office opposite the site, is “disappointed” the squatters – who have been living the locked petrol station for three years – have still not been removed.

Mrs Alrai, who believes the squat is an eye-sore and is attracting rats to the area, said: “People are saying they are happy to see the back of it, but it doesn’t seem much is happening.”

Although some of the vehicles have been taken away from the former petrol station, she is not confident the squatters will have it clear by tomorrow morning and hopes the authorities will be able to remove them.

The owners of the site, the Three Sisters Property Company Limited, have been fighting to rid their property of the squatters and were watching on Thursday as the authorities tried to encourage the people to leave.

Reverend Peter Nichols, who has lived in a caravan on site for three years, told the Enfield Independent on Thursday he felt the squatters were being “victimised” as the authorities were not protecting their human rights.

Enfield Borough Council officers started removing untaxed vehicles which had not been declared off the road to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which Rev Nichols claims were being sold to raise money for children's charities in Africa.

The eco-warrior called for 48 hours to remove their property from the area before relocating to a new squat nearby.

The Enfield Independent understands the property owners are fighting to remove the people from their land to develop the site into social housing.