Using empty shops as homeless shelters 'a backwards step'
A controversial idea to use empty shops as homeless shelters in Stafford has led to a backlash – as officials fear it could bring back the days of the ‘ill-fated’ Bethany project.
Councillor Louise Nixon has called for vacant buildings in the town to be opened up as temporary shelters.
But some, including Police Chief Inspector for Stafford Gemma Ward, have opposed it saying it would be a ‘backwards step’.
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It’s a similar idea to the doomed Bethany project, that caused huge problems more than 10 years ago.
Homeless people as far as Manchester travelled to stay in the designated Bethany project building, which ended up closing in 2005 after an arson attack.
But Councillor Nixon, who represents the Coton ward of Stafford, said: “With the weather getting colder and wetter and winter looming, isn’t it time the empty buildings in Stafford were used as temporary shelter for these super humans who are currently being treated as sub human due to their accommodation status?”
Councillor Jeremy Pert, cabinet member for communities, said: “To suggest we should just take an empty shop and use it as a makeshift temporary shelter is potentially dangerous – and brings visions of the ill-fated days of the old Bethany Project in Stafford.
"Our aim is to ensure that when we put someone in accommodation they manage to sustain that."
Dermot Hogan, group manager from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service added: “Encouraging some of our most vulnerable residents to spend the night in buildings not designed for sleeping in can be very dangerous – for example in the event of a fire.
"We would discourage this.”
Chief Insp Ward added: “It would be a clear backwards step in the ongoing work to signpost rough sleepers to longer term provisions.”
