People have been sleeping rough in Mortimer Market alleyway for around nine months

MORE rough sleepers have been moved on from where they were staying near Tottenham Court Road.

A notice appeared in Mortimer Market, an alleyway owned by University College London Hospital Charity, telling people they must pack up their belongings and leave by Friday January 31 to make way for building work for a new bakery.

People had been sleeping in tents there for around nine months. Some had also been sleeping outside University College Hospital in Huntley Street when police and bin workers arrived in November 2023 to move people on and throw ­away tents.

The private security company My Local Bobby arrived on Friday to enforce the action. It said it had been engaging with rough sleepers to prepare them for the move.

Elodie Berland, of Streets Kitchen, said: “A lot of the guys who were sleeping in there were sleeping behind UCLH in Huntley Street so they’ve had a similar experience of being moved on a year and a bit ago and they found that space there… Some of the guys have health issues and are being seen by UCLH teams there as well, they have priority needs.

“I’m puzzled. It’s happening over and over again. It’s affecting the same people who are known to services.

“Two of them decided to leave, one of them is going to south London which is moving away from all the support he had managed to gather in this area such as health, community.”

A spokesperson for UCLH Charity said: “Our new tenant at 170 Tottenham Court Road has informed us that they have commissioned a programme of building work to open a new retail outlet.

“There are a number of people sleeping rough where the building work will take place.

“We have been working to ensure that people sleeping rough in Mortimer Market passage are aware of the work and are being supported.”

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “The council was not involved in moving rough sleepers from this site.

“We are clear that no one should be sleeping rough and we’re doing all we can to address this.

“Our outreach team attended Mortimer Market to offer advice and support to these individuals with our dedicated Routes off The Streets service.”