This Is Guernsey

By Gemma Hockey

Cars have allegedly been abandoned in the car park next to Checkers Xpresss at Cobo

FURTHER controversy over Cobo car park emerged last night.

It was alleged by parish officials at the Castel electors and ratepayers meeting that cars are being deliberately dumped in the parking area next to Checkers Xpress. Douzenier Dave Chester said there were 10 abandoned cars in the parking area next to the store, which is operated by Sandpiper.

‘It has been alleged that one person has been asked to park the cars there,’ he said. ‘The police have indicated that all 10 are owned by one individual but that person cannot be identified due to data protection laws. If anybody has information on this unreasonable individual, the douzaine and constables of the parish would be most grateful.’

He said the vehicles began to appear after Sandpiper removed the boulders from the car park’s entrance and exit.

The supermarket owner took action two days after Thomas Holroyd, the man who claims to own the land through purchase of the Fief De Carteret, had the boulders put there in January.

‘This is an issue we are becoming increasingly concerned with,’ said Mr Chester.

Senior constable Chris Workman said the police had been contacted but would not get involved because it is allegedly ‘private’ land.

‘We could remove the boulders and that is why we have taken action, but getting rid of these cars is a different matter,’ he said.

‘We don’t want this car park to become completely full of cars. As it is there is hardly any space left.’

He said the parish could not prove the cars, which he estimated have a combined worth of no more than £10,000, had been abandoned.

There were murmurs of approval from the 43 ratepayers at the meeting for the parish officials’ action early yesterday in moving the boulders to land in front of the Hotel de Carteret, which is owned by Mr Holroyd’s mother, Kathleen.

‘The last thing we wanted to do was alert the public and be slapped with an injunction,’ said Mr Workman.

‘We decided to take action after consulting parish advocate John Langlois, who was quite adamant we had a right to remove the boulders.

‘We have had no proof of ownership from Mr Holroyd. Now we will have to wait and see what fallout there is.’

Mr Holroyd was unattainable, despite efforts to contact him.

* Also at the meeting, parishioners approved the occupier’s rate totalling £147,722 for 2008.

The ecclesiastical accounts were agreed at £58,344.50.

Article posted on 1st May, 2008 - 2.29pm