But the group, supporting the worldwide "anti-greed" , have promised to carry on their fight.

Around eight tents had been erected in Kelvingrove Park on November 5 after the group were forced to move from their first camp, in George Square, before Armistice Day. They had been in George Square since the start of the Occupy movement in October.

Seven of the protesters were yesterday cleaning up rubbish, tents and debris at the Kelvingrove site, which was kitted out with toilets, lighting and fencing by Glasgow City Council.

The move came after some locals voiced concerns over the impact the camp was having on the park.

A spokeswoman for the protesters said: "During our general assembly on Saturday we decided to close our Kelvingrove Park site down for the winter. But it is not the end of Occupy Glasgow.

"We've talked about finding a more suitable site indoors."

The council had given the group permission to move into the park for three months. The site costs taxpayers' £1800 to set-up and £160 a week thereafter.

A sister camp, set up less than a month ago in the city's Blythswood Square has also been vacated.

Most protesters quit the sites last Thursday, when wind, reaching speeds of 165mph, battered the country.

Six or seven people were living at the Kelvingrove Park site full-time, while up to 20 protesters took it in shifts to occupy the space.

Andy Mackay, 28, an artist who lives in Cessnock when he's not occupying the park, said: "The council advised us to leave the camp for safety reasons on Thursday. I would love to stay here, but we decided as a group we would move out, regroup and figure out what to do next."

A 29-year-old demonstrator from Maryhill, who did not want to be named, said: "We haven't got the resourcesto be camping here. It was getting too difficult to focus on what we want to achieve – instead we were worrying about flooding."

The groups now hope to find a indoor site from which to continue their protest.

A council spokesman welcomed the news. He said: "It is wrong for a tiny unrepresented group to make life difficult for Glaswegians and we have been urging them to see sense. So it is helpful if they are finally doing that."

The council received around 20 complaints from the public about the campsite.

rachel.loxton@ eveningtimes.co.uk

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