Stanmer Park gypsy offers solution to Brighton’s unauthorised traveller camps

By Tony Coyle

I’m a gypsy. I was born in Birmingham of Irish parents. I’m one of eight brothers and I’ve got six sisters. I never went to school. I can’t read and write. I’ve worked since the age of 13. I’ve been a builder all my life. I sell caravans and chalets and I own a site in Salfords. I’ve been by the side of the road all my life.

It’s becoming a computer world. The day is coming when everything is done on cards. Money won’t count for anything. Travellers never did pay taxes. A lot of gypsies and travellers now pay taxes. Now, it’s a different world and you’ve got no choice. I pay my taxes and I pay all my bills.

Tony Coyle

I’m out for a break for my kids – my two daughters. They’re 12 and 1. I could be on the road for six weeks and then I’ll go back to Surrey.

No one here’s been trying to steal horses. There are no horses here (in the camp in Stanmer Park). There are only two horse boxes here and they’ve got other stuff in. People wait until we’re around to do things like that and we get the blame. The price of feed and equipment has been going up. A Transit full of feed will fetch a grand.

I’m a gypsy liaison officer in Tandridge but nobody listens. People have got no idea. They’re paying a gateman £500 a week or more for security (at Horsdean). There’s nothing there to take or damage. On a site the damage happens after 5pm when the caretaker’s gone home but if you have a head man who has the authority to say “do that again and you’re off” things would be better. It would need to be someone who was respected by people on the site.

I’d run Horsdean but it’d have to be on my terms. I could take it on a six-month trial, free.

They haven’t got a clue. They should open the gates and double the room then they could get 50 caravans or more there. They could have two to the pitch. There are 80 here (in Stanmer Park). It wold help.

About the cesspits, I’ve been building them all my life. It would cost about £15,000. They’re talking about drainage but it’s cesspit land. Gypsies would be happy if (Horsdean’s) run so it pays for itself. I’d pay £50 a week. That’s reasonable. (Horsdean charges £60 a week.)

Tony Coyle was speaking to Greg Hadfield and Frank le Duc. This article was published in the Brighton and Hove Independent today (Friday 20 June).