Council investigates removal of lock at Whitby abbey car park - and reminds overnight campers to stay out

A post widely seen on a Whitby social media page suggested that council employees had been seen doing maintenance work at the swing gate entrance to the abbey car park to “prevent vans and motorhome owners sleeping in their vehicles overnight”.

But North Yorkshire Council’s head of parking services, Steve Brown, said: “While we have not undertaken any works at the Abbey Headland car park near Whitby Abbey, we have been made aware that the lock has recently been removed.

“This was not done by council officers and is being investigated.

“As visitors to the town are expected to increase in the coming months, we would like to remind motorists that overnight camping is not permitted in any of the car parks we are responsible for in Whitby.”