Travellers have pitched up on public land near Aberdeen beach – the day a popular Thai cabaret act moved out.
A total of six caravans moved onto the site opposite Burger King on the seafront yesterday.
The vehicles poured in just as the Lady Boys of Bangkok troupe left the area following a successful three-week run of shows.
Tillydrone, Seaton and Old Aberdeen Labour councillor Ramsay Milne said he was “disappointed but not surprised” that the caravans had arrived at the land – and laid the blame on the Scottish Government for blocking legal moves to prevent unauthorised encampments in the city.
Ministers rejected plans from Aberdeen City Council’s ruling administration for a by-law to combat illegal gypsy-traveller encampments last October.
Mr Milne said: “We had a long term solution but that was not allowed by the Scottish Government so the situation we now have is disappointing but not surprising.
“It’s really a pity we never had the legislation in place to stop the problem before it got started.
“We now are looking at setting up permanent sites but it’s proving difficult because local residents don’t want to live near them.
“We have a very good team at Aberdeen City Council responsible for travellers and I’m sure they will be taking the right decisions.”
A council spokesman said: “We have commenced proceedings to have them moved.”
The Labour-led coalition had wanted to introduce a ban on overnight camping in designated areas around the city such as public parks.
But Housing Minister Margaret Burgess wrote to authority leader Jenny Laing to say sufficient powers already existed to tackle unauthorised camps.
Last night a Scottish Government spokesman said: “The bylaw would not have actually provided the council with the power to remove Gypsy/Travellers and the council already have powers to take action to recover possession of its land if it wishes to do so.”