It’s one of them London‘s most sought-after addresses. But the multi-millionaires of Park Lane still can’t escape the sight of a man washing his feet in a public fountain right on their doorstep.
The man is one of hundreds of rough sleepers in a notorious encampment next to Marble Arch – just yards from luxury hotels, exclusive car dealerships and some of the capital’s most expensive properties.
Behind him are a pair of worn blue sandals and an orange bag as he appears to drink from the fountain, while next to him two other men are talking, one of whom has also taken off his shoes.
The trio, surrounded by a large flock of pigeons near the historic listed building, are certainly not alone.
Dozens of others are seen lounging on the walls surrounding the trees and flower beds with bedding and bags next to them, while others gather for conversation, smoke, drink beer or simply wander the gardens.
One image shows the black railings used as a drying rack to hang clothes.
Another image shows a middle-aged woman crouching in a corner and smoking a rolled cigarette. The substance she inhales is unknown, but in a second image she sits close to the ground, with her head in her gray bag.
Their fate is in stark contrast to that of residents of nearby Park Lane, one of the capital’s most exclusive postcodes.
The footage has emerged just weeks after an encampment of Eastern European migrants appeared near the historic monument.
The Daily Mail reported how in July dozens of people were sleeping every evening at Marks & Spencer’s flagship store on Oxford Street, before taking their belongings to a spot under the trees of Marble Arch.
According to Oxford Street workers who know them well, the group is flying away Romania every summer to target the peak tourist season.
A rough sleeper has been spotted washing his feet at the iconic fountains of Marble Arch, amid concerns over the rise in homelessness in the capital
The man also appeared to be drinking water from the fountains near the historic monument
A middle-aged woman leans into a corner and smokes a rolled cigarette
Dozens of other individuals are seen lounging on the walls or gathering around the gardens
When contacted by the Daily Mail, they openly admitted they had ‘no documents to work’ – and claim they live a ‘difficult’ life with no help from anyone but themselves.
Several encampments have appeared on Park Lane in recent years, forcing Transport for London (TfL) and Westminster City Council to spend thousands to clear them – and yet the same faces return.
According to a barista from nearby Pret a Manger, many work together in shifts as ‘professional’ beggars, pickpockets or shoplifters.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘There’s usually a lady stationed outside here on the pavement. She’ll sit there for a few hours begging for money before someone shows up again.
“They hand over the cardboard and she takes her place. It’s a shift work, very well organised.’
Some of the gang have been around for years, even before the days of the Park Lane camp, and so he has come to know them in a strange way.
‘They come very early every morning for coffee, are sometimes a bit cheeky and try to get one for free, but they don’t steal here anymore. Other places are being looted,” he said.
Meanwhile, an M&S security guard told the Daily Mail that the entire group has been banned from the store after stealing hundreds of pounds worth of meat, alcohol and clothing.
The group’s fate is in stark contrast to residents of nearby Park Lane, one of the capital’s most exclusive postcodes.
One image shows the black railings used as a drying rack to hang clothes
He said: “They have caused us a lot of problems over the years. We had to stop them because they would steal – a lot of stuff, very expensive.
“If they were just stealing because they were hungry, they would take sandwiches, but they take meat, a lot of steak. And alcohol – especially spirits like vodka.
‘We often have deadlocks, I have to tell them: ‘You’re not coming in.’
“After a while they get the message, but they have been violent in the past.”
He reported that as many as 20 people slept outside the store every night.
Among those seen when the Daily Mail visited was convicted Romanian criminal Iliuta Gruia, who is said to be in charge of the organized begging gang.
Gruia, as reported in the Daily Expresshas been to prison several times and received a restraining order in his home country after threatening to kill an entire family with an axe, including the children.
Last summer, TfL spent more than £113,000 in three months on a security company hired to prevent rough sleepers from returning to London’s Park Lane.
Across London, Eastern European migrants have also become a regular presence on either side of Euston Roadas well as outside King’s Cross and the adjacent St Pancras stations.
Earlier this month, the Daily Mail reported how more than 40 tents on the central reservation of the main road were home to dozens of chancellers who came from Romania and Bulgaria to beg and commit crime for a living.
A local shopkeeper said: ‘They steal alcohol and solvents from my shop every day. As a result, I have lost hundreds, if not thousands, of business.”
The latest figures show that more than 1,000 new ‘wild rough sleepers’ were in asylum seeker accommodation, an increase from 10 percent last year – while 946 ‘wild rough sleepers’ were undocumented and living illegally in Britain.
People from minority ethnic backgrounds – 53 per cent – make up the majority of London’s rough sleepers.
In total, more than 13,000 people in London were found to be sleeping rough last year, a new high: 10 percent more than in the previous twelve months and four times as many as sixteen years ago.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham launched his premiership last month with a speech pledging an extra £340 million for efforts to end rough sleeping ‘as soon as possible’.
Among those seen when the Daily Mail visited Marble Arch last month was convicted Romanian criminal Iliuta Gruia (right), who allegedly runs an organized begging ring.
The Daily Mail reported in July how dozens of people went to bed every night at M&S’s flagship store on Oxford Street
Councilor David Harvey, Cabinet Member for Housing at Westminster Council, said of the situation in Marble Arch: “We have a duty to support vulnerable people and protect the wider public. We will continue to offer help to anyone experiencing rough sleep, but compassion cannot mean accepting behavior that makes public spaces feel unsafe or inaccessible to others.
‘Where support is refused and people unlawfully occupy public spaces or cause anti-social behaviour, we take action.
‘Westminster’s parks, streets and public spaces are for everyone, and residents can expect them to be safe, clean and welcoming.
‘Most people who sleep poorly need support, and we will continue to provide that. But Westminster cannot allow a situation where a small number of people repeatedly refuse help and create problems for everyone else.”
Councilor Caroline Sargent, deputy leader and cabinet member for enforcement at Westminster, added that there is ‘no place’ in London for ‘anti-social behaviour, drug abuse and crime’.
She added: “As a council we are doing our bit by trying to get people moving who are damaging our public spaces.
‘But we expect a tougher approach from the police, and we need the Home Office to support us with new legislation to keep our streets safe for residents and visitors.’
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: ‘We are ensuring everyone sleeping rough has a route off the streets this winter, supported by more than £442 million to provide more housing and specialist support.
“Our program invests not only in long-term housing, but also in supports that help people with their physical, mental health and substance use disorders.”
A TfL spokesperson said: ‘No one should have to face sleeping on the streets in London. This is a busy part of the TfL road network which is not a safe place for people to sleep rough and our focus is always on the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved.
‘We are working closely with the Metropolitan Police to monitor this location and any illegal activity will be reported to police immediately.
‘People who have previously slept in the wild at this location have been informed that returning to the site is not an option and they will be removed.
‘We continue to work with Westminster City Council, whose outreach teams can connect people to the support available to them and continue to monitor the area.’
The Daily Mail has also contacted the Mayor of London for comment.
