We were furious after being stopped from using walkway we’ve enjoyed for years – so we took matters into our own hands
FURIOUS residents have taken matters into their own hands after being stopped from using a walkway they have enjoyed for years.
People living in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, have repeatedly cut down gates erected on the North Wall.
Earlier this month, the group of residents, who live on the streets near the tidal defence wall, camped out for hours at the site.
They found workers from ABP (Associated British Ports) attempting to erect metal sheeting that would block off all access to the privately owned land.
There is no public right of way on the land, but previously access had been allowed as "goodwill gesture", ABP said.
However, the port operator first blocked the route in 2020, citing "antisocial behaviour from a minority of people".
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The most recent work marks the third attempt by workers to block off access to the walkway.
On two previous occasions, gates installed there have been removed by members of the public, in order to enable them to continue to use the walkway.
ABP claims that these incidents were "acts of criminal damage" and said it was "reluctantly" reporting the matters to the police.
The port operator has dismissed claims from some members of the public that the gates are related to plans for a £75m salmon farm.
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Kim Harvey, who lives in Manchester Street, said she had been walking on the North Wall for almost 40 years.
She said: "A few disabled fishermen go down there, and you get a few people on their bikes, joggers, dog walkers, and that's it. Nobody is doing any harm on that walkway."
On Sunday, June 11, workers returned to the site and put up concrete blocks to prevent people from accessing the rest of the walkway.
But a section of the fence around the blocks was later removed.
George Brozych is the owner of the Anglers and Danglers Bait and Tackle shop, in Haycroft Avenue, Grimsby.
He claims that he and his customers regularly fish from the North Wall and that access has been granted for years from the section of the wall close to Fuller Street Bridge.
However, he now fears that his business will be "ruined" and Grimsby will lose its legacy as a fishing town.
He said: "It's the safest and the only accessible fishing venue for younger people and older, disabled people.
"[The blocking of the walkway] will affect my business because it's the only local venue we can fish, because the main beach is busy so it makes it difficult.
"This venue is so important to us because disabled anglers have fished there for years, it's the only safe venue for them to fish from."
A spokesperson for ABP said that no permission had ever been granted to George for him and his customers to have access to the North Wall to fish.
"It is very unfortunate that a small number of people appear to have taken the law into their own hands," the spokesperson said.
"The land in question is not a public right of way it is private property and in fact only became land at all because it was reclaimed from the water for the use of the port in the 1930s.
"It has only ever had public access as a goodwill gesture from ABP but unfortunately had to be closed off in 2020 because of incidents of antisocial behaviour.
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"As it is private land, it is our right to fence the site and close the gates and sadly we have had to do so to prevent incidents of antisocial behaviour in the port.
"Twice the gates we have put up have been taken down as acts of criminal damage. Reluctantly, we are reporting these matters to the police."