Corby hospice loses much needed cash after rough sleepers create mess

A Corby hospice has been left counting the cost of a three-month long stalemate between police and council after a group of rough sleepers took up home in their town centre charity shop frontage.

In the week that Lakelands Hospice would have been staging its biggest event of their fundraising calendar, staff have been tidying the mess left by a group of men who had been camped outside Lakelands Emporium and Cafe since June.

October usually sees Lakelands' money-spinning Strictly Corby event with local 'celebrity' dancers raising over £63,000 in 2019, but with all group fundraising events off, the hospice has been more reliant on income from Lakelands Emporium and Cafe in Deene House in New Post Office Square.

Head of fundraising Paul Marlow said: "We had to close the shop on two Saturdays. We estimate our loss during the time the rough sleepers have been camped outside our premises to be thousands of pounds.

"Our Emporium takes on average of £600 on a good Saturday, I had been forced to close on Saturday as I didn’t have any available staff to offer support and security to my team.

"Closing early regularly due to the disruption and confrontation, and drop in trade because of the 'atmosphere' created as well as the hygiene and smell issues made us an unattractive option for breakfast or lunch.

"On Saturday (October 3) the Lakelands Emporium closed for business due to the escalating number and conduct of the rough sleepers using our outside seating area to sleep, urinate, defecate, drink alcohol and verbally abuse our staff and customers.

"I realise it’s a sensitive issue but the escalation and impact on us as a charity is alarming with both police and council seemingly powerless to put an end to it. I’m not insensitive to the genuine plight of the homeless but I don’t think this what these people are.

"They are not homeless as I’m assured by the council outreach worker for the homeless community that they have been regularly offered accommodation but turn down the opportunity."

Mr Marlow donned protective clothing to remove the abandoned encampment including bags of urine, dirty mattresses, discarded clothes, rotting food and beer cans from the outside seating area used by customers to the cafe.

Lakelands Emporium manager, Angie Cherry said: "My anxiety levels have been through the roof. It's been one thing after another. We couldn't do anything about it. We felt intimidated.

"We tried asking them to move on but the bad language they used was terrible. I love my job but it got to the point where I felt I didn't want to go to work.

"Now that they have gone I would encourage our customers to come back and support us. We've got all our usual food on the menu."

Mr Marlow had reported multiple incidents to the police and had contacted Corby Council who own the building to seek assistance.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said: "All of the reports were of homeless street drinkers committing acts of anti-social behaviour.

"We deployed and spoke to the street drinkers on a number of occasions and moved them on. We are also working with town security on this issue."

This year the hospice marked a decade of their hospice at home service providing 674 end-of-life care to patients and their families, 2,488 nights of care.

Since opening in 2001, Lakelands Hospice has helped more than 3,000 families in the north Northamptonshire, south Leicestershire and Rutland area.

The hospice costs in excess of £545,000 per year to meet the needs of those living with life limiting illnesses such as cancer, COPD, heart failure, multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease. The hospice does not receive any NHS or government funding and is entirely funded by charitable donations and support from the local community.

Mr Marlow added: "It is incredibly frustrating. I am very sympathetic to the plight of homeless people. During the hot weather in lockdown I gave cold drinks to the gentleman who was sleeping in the doorway.

"My sadness is that we will be passing on the problem to somewhere else."

A spokesman for Corby council said: "Corby Borough Council’s Neighbourhood Wardens are carrying out regular engagement with the individuals concerned regarding the impact their behaviour is having on other members of the public and businesses close by.

"Whilst we are unable to move anyone along due to rough sleeping, enforcement powers can be utilised should harassment, alarm or distress be caused to others. We are currently working with those affected to gather any evidence to support enforcement for antisocial behaviour.

“The Council’s Rough Sleeper Outreach Worker engages with these individuals regularly to offer help and support where it is needed, although we understand that not all of the individuals are rough sleepers or have the need to be sleeping rough.

“The Northants Police are also aware of the situation and would advise anyone who witnesses any inappropriate behaviour such as urinating or verbal abuse towards any individual to please report this by calling 101.”

To support Lakelands go to their website to make a donation.

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