MEP’s anger at council as anchor is relocated

AN MEP whose brother was one of 58 Hull men lost in the Triple Trawler Disaster of 1968 has condemned a council’s “disrespectful” decision to move an anchor from the city’s docks to a “drab” car park eight miles away.

The trawler anchor, originally from St Andrew’s Fish Docks, was unveiled on Monday outside three blocks of flats on Bilton Grange estate, which are named after the three lost trawlers.

Yorkshire MEP Mike Hookem, inset, whose brother Keith was lost on board the Ross Cleveland, questioned why the anchor had been moved somewhere he said had “no connection with Hull’s fishing heritage whatsoever”.

He added: “Why would the families of those lost – many of whom still live in the West Hull area – want to trek across the city centre to a drab car park, surrounded by tower blocks with dirty and peeling paint name signs to pay their respect to their loved ones?” He also accused the council of “crass insensitivity” in holding the event at the same time as the annual memorial service held on Boulevard by the Hull Bullnose Heritage Group (HBHG). Hull Council did not issue a formal statement but it is understood the anchor came to it via fishing heritage group Stand after the St Andrew’s retail park management company asked that it be relocated. Some of the crew of the three trawlers had lived locally and interested parties were invited to give their views.