Homeless people living in a makeshift 'tent city' on Euston Road in central London have been accused of begging, gambling, and urinating on the street, with angry locals urging Camden Council to intervene. The encampment, which has existed since at least 2023, sits within the constituency of former Labour prime minister Sir Keir Starmer. His successor, Andy Burnham, has pledged to end homelessness in England, allocating £340 million to tackle rough sleeping.
Living conditions at the camp
About 30 to 40 tents are crammed in two rows on a narrow central reservation between the westbound and eastbound lanes of Euston Road, just yards from Warren Street Underground Station and University College Hospital. On Monday, August 10, two or three homeless people were seen sitting on old office chairs at a picnic table or wandering between tents, under the shade of London plane trees. Outside a nearby McDonald's, a young woman wrapped in a pink blanket held a sign reading: 'Please help, ned (sic) hostel, God bless.'
Travel agent Aman Ansari said the camp appeared after the COVID pandemic, calling it 'a nightmare' and 'a bit of an eyesore.' He added that some residents use the road as a toilet and that customers feel unsafe after dark. 'They are not bad people and can be friendly, but a mob mentality can kick in if one feels threatened or has a problem with you,' he said. Mr Ansari has written to his MP and Camden Council, expressing bewilderment that nothing has been done to remove the tents and house the inhabitants. 'Residents who have been here a while are not happy,' he said.
Local complaints and denials
A newsagent, who wished to remain anonymous, said he has caught people from the camp shoplifting and that they sometimes argue with staff. A security guard across the road, also unnamed, said some of the people can be aggressive, shouting and swearing, but they have never become physical. 'Some of them, especially if drunk, can be aggressive. They swear. Some of them beg. They look for somewhere to sleep,' he said.
However, Liliana, a Romanian woman living in one of the tents with her husband, rejected what she called 'hateful' comments posted about the homeless on TikTok and Facebook. She said she earned £13 an hour on a zero-hours contract but ended up sleeping rough because London rents were unaffordable. The grandmother of two came to the UK from Boston, Lincolnshire, after work dried up. 'It's very bad living here. On TikTok, Facebook, people [are] saying these people [are] criminals. If [we] were criminals, police would come to arrest us,' she said. Liliana admitted some camp members beg, but only out of desperation, saying, 'People aren't coming here for money, only getting £1 for three hours begging.'
Response from authorities
The 50-year-old said about 40 people live at the encampment, including Romanians, Bulgarians, Polish, Italians, and three British nationals. A Romanian man who has lived there for five years said he was looking for work and had found jobs cleaning cars and as a decorator. He admitted to begging when he needed food but denied gambling. His brother, also at the camp, said he worked at car washes but his boss withheld his wages.
Homeless charity St Mungo's called the situation a scandal, with a spokesperson saying: 'For too long, people have been forced to bed down on the pavements, where they face abuse, trauma, and worsening mental and physical health with every single night they continue to sleep rough. It was momentous to see Andy Burnham recognising this on the steps of Downing Street, in his very first speech as Prime Minister.' The charity stressed the need to address the shortage of affordable housing and gaps in mental, physical, and substance use support.
Camden Council said it is concerned for the welfare of people rough sleeping in Euston Road and its 'urgent' focus is to help rebuild their lives off the streets. The local authority stated: 'This means finding suitable accommodation and providing the range of support they need, while working with community partners to make sure the area is safe and maintained for everyone.' The Metropolitan Police said neighbourhood officers are aware of the camp and are working with others to find a long-term solution, encouraging anyone witnessing criminal activity to contact them via 101 or online.
