Funding runs out for Bristol homeless shelter
The Compass Centre in Jamaica Street, near the city centre, provides about 20 beds a night for the homeless.
But the Government has stopped funding for the night shelter from the end of the month because it believes the number of rough sleepers in the city is low and they can be accommodated elsewhere.
The move has been condemned as "disgusting" by Alan Goddard, manager of the Crisis Centre Ministries which runs the Wild Goose Cafe in City Road, St Paul's, for people who live on the street.
Mr Goddard said: "This is going to mean 20 fewer beds for the homeless in Bristol.
"The shelter bridged the gap between people having somewhere to stay, being assessed and moving into a hostel.
"We need more beds. I'm sure this will mean more people without any kind of bed for the night."
The official number of rough sleepers in Bristol after a count on September 4 was four. Previously, on August 28, it was two. But Mr Goddard believes the real number is between 40 to 50.
The Compass Centre was opened in May last year in partnership with the English Churches Housing Group at a cost of £1.6 million to offer a range of services to the homeless, including the night shelter.
It brings together a number of agencies so the homeless can be helped with more than finding them a roof over their heads.
It also helps with treatment of drug addiction, health issues, training and sorting out job opportunities.
A council spokesman said the night shelter, which provides shared, dormitory-style accommodation, was always considered to be a temporary measure and would be phased out.
He said: "This service at the Compass Centre was always designed to be a very short stay bridging period between rough sleeping and moving into appropriate accommodation.
"The new provider of services at the Compass Centre – St Mungo's, London's largest homeless charity – will continue to offer a range of help including support when their contract begins at the beginning of October.
"At present, the amount rough sleeping in Bristol is low and there are regular vacancies in hostels for homeless people.
"This suggests that our Pathways scheme for homeless people – moving them through services towards independent living – is working well and that we don't need shared, dormitory-style provision due to the ability to move into and on from hostels far more smoothly and quickly than in previous years.
"Of course any amount of rough sleeping, however low, is of real concern and we will work with the new provider of services at the Compass Centre to ensure that we do not get anyone 'falling through a gap' and that they get the help they need.
"Bristol has an excellent record of tackling homelessness and was recently designated an Ending Rough Sleeping Champion by the Government in recognition of this and asked to share its expertise with other local councils."
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