A fence has been erected around a former sleeping spot by the American International Church in Tottenham Court Road

PEOPLE sleeping in tents along Tottenham Court Road have been evicted before Christmas, a year after some of them experienced the same fate while sleeping behind University College Hospital.

In November last year a video of bin workers throwing homeless people’s tents into the back of their truck outside the rear of the hospital in Huntley Street made headlines. It has since secured the area with barricades and locks.

Now it’s déjà vu for some rough sleepers as those staying outside the WHSmith and M&S in Grafton Way were last week served a notice to “vacate”. It said: “This is formal notice that you are currently trespassing on private property. The property owner has not granted permission for you to be on this land and requests that you vacate the premises immediately.”

It warned that failure to comply would result in the removal of personal belongings and “legal proceedings against you for trespass”. There were eight tents and one temporary structure positioned outside the shop, and people staying there left after the notice was put up on the window behind them.

The Extra had earlier spoken to some people staying there about how they had not been offered shelter by the local authorities when the SWEP, Severe Weather Emergency Protocol, was activated.

Elodie Berland of Streets Kitchen said one of the men affected by the eviction was also sleeping behind University College London Hospitals building a year ago.

She said: “He said ‘it’s terrible man – remember it was a year ago?’ He’s in the same position one year on and he’s just being moved around. It’s Christmas in a week and it’s freezing outside. The guys said they are used to being moved around. It breaks my heart. It’s the cruelty of it all and the inefficiency of it. There’s no communication and no transparency of what is happening to them and why.

“Walking behind the back of UCLH breaks my heart. The guys were so comfortable and safe there and so it’s really depressing; it was a good space.”

A few yards away, outside the American Church in Tottenham Court Road, there were more rough sleepers staying in tents. However, the Extra reported how a fire broke out in November, damaging some of them.

The council has since erected a fence around the tents and removed people’s belongings and put them in storage.

A spokesperson for WHSmith said: “Following growing concern for the increasing number of rough sleepers outside our store at UCLH hospital, we worked with our hospital partner and engaged the police and local council, as well as private organisations, to seek support for those affected, and to ensure our store remains accessible for the hospital community we serve.”

A spokesperson said: “UCLH owns or manages buildings across Fitzrovia where a growing number of people have been sleeping rough for several months. We are in conversation with several partners about how best to support this vulnerable group. UCLH meets regularly with the police, Camden Council and their safe streets team, and the charity Routes off the Street, among others. We are deeply committed to improving the health and wellbeing of rough sleepers and we provide a number of services for this vulnerable group. Our inclusion health team has recently expanded to include two clinical nurse specialists, one of whom is funded by UCLH Charity, to work with rough sleepers in the community.”

A council spokesperson said: “We have been helping people rough sleeping on Tottenham Court Road with support and advice. We continue to work every day with our partners to support people rough sleeping in Camden away from the streets, by providing them with welfare and housing support options.”