Police have reportedly arrested one person after dozens of so-called urban explorers ran amok at a Devon outdoor activity centre, stealing items and causing damage.
The Calvert Trust Exmoor centre, near Barnstaple, closed last month after falling into insolvency and is now on sale.
While the centre sits empty, it has become a target for urban explorers who have illegally entered the 20.13-acre site. They have filmed and photographed the premises, but also joy rode golf buggies, wheelchairs and cycles, and caused criminal damage.
Others have followed their lead. Jon Mitchell, a partner and insolvency practitioner at Westcotts, which is handling the insolvency, said: “I am disgusted to see these so-called urban explorers causing damage and breaking into the charity’s property.”
He said: “Twenty to 30 people turned up yesterday. Since they have released videos this has escalated. It’s like a campsite. We are getting other explorers, teenagers and opportunists."
In one video posted on social media, an explorer said: “They have left this place unlocked, it’s almost as if they wanted us to come here.”
But Mr Mitchell stressed that the site is not unlocked and the invaders are breaking and entering. He said: “This is not an abandoned site. It has just been closed for about three weeks.”
He added: “The centre was only closed on August 31 and locked. Initial security measures were put in place, including a number of ‘dalek’ CCTV towers. Less than two weeks after the closure, these daleks alerted security officers who attended the premises and chased a group of urban explorers off site. Photos of the intruders and their car registration were subsequently forwarded to the police.”
He said there have been further attempted break-ins and smashed windows where people have tried to gain access. He said: "People are trying to nick stuff. We have secured the site and upped the security. We have got static guards there now. Although they claim the doors were unlocked, the site was secured and locked. We have since had further break-ins and one youth has also been arrested for burglary.”
He said: “Whilst we do not want to give them publicity, we do want to deter others and warn of the criminality and repercussions of what some of these groups are doing. They are posting videos all over socials and getting likes and clicks and getting paid for their content. But what they have done is illegal. It is a closed business. They claim the doors were open but they were not. They took a golf buggy without consent. The police have been informed.”
Mr Mitchell added: “Whilst I note the appeal to urban explorers to visit abandoned sites, the centre is most definitely not abandoned, having only recently ceased trading. Security towers and signs are dotted around the site. The charity’s property and land is actively being marketed for sale by Savills. Unfortunately, as a direct result of these groups, we have now had to incur significant cost in repairing damage to doors and smashed windows. In addition, we have been required to increase the security measures, including the requirement of static guards on site, costing the charity thousands of pounds whilst the property and other assets continue to be sold.”
The centre last month announced it would close following “significant financial and operational challenges”. The site, overlooking Wistlandpound Reservoir on Exmoor, had been operating for more than 30 years, providing people with disabilities outdoor experiences.
Arrest Made as Urban Explorers Target Closed Devon Centre