Homeless hit as café shuts
10:11am Thursday 22nd May 2008
Comments (12)A CAFÉ that helps feed the homeless has been forced to close by West Dorset District Council.
The A35 Café in Top o' Town car park, Dorchester, was given 24 hours' notice to shut while improvements are made to the site.
Now café staff are worried visitors will have nowhere to go for the five weeks it must remain closed.
They have also been left jobless by the move.
Full-time worker Faye Brown said: "Hundreds of people come in every day. It might only be for a cup of tea but it is somewhere where they come. As far as we knew we could stay open and had access for customers at the back of the café."
Bob Matthews, manager of the Hub drop-in centre for Dorchester's homeless, had not been warned of the closure.
His centre provides meal tickets so people can get hot food at the café when the centre is shut at weekends.
Mr Matthews said: "I don't know if we can do anything but we will try and find an alternative.
"I think service users will be concerned. It is going to be difficult for them over the weekends.
"They have always said that you get a really good breakfast there and if that's their only meal of the day it is unfortunate they are going to miss out.
"I feel that had we had some notice we may have been able to put something in place."
Nick Browning, principal engineer for West Dorset District Council, said: "The work is necessary to improve parking for the town.
"We did what we could to keep access open by co-operation but the arrangements were not working and, mainly for health and safety reasons, I have instructed that access across the site to the café should be stopped.
"It's in everyone's interest that the work should be completed as quickly and safely as possible."
The £160,000 improvements at Top o' Town car park began on Monday, May 19. Work will result in 20 more spaces for coaches on Wednesday market days and 30 more short-term spaces.
The improvements also include resurfacing, relining and work on drainage and lighting.
Your Say YourDorset Echo
free wessex, dorset says...
11:42am Thu 22 May 08
Another WDDC farce!!
free wessex, dorset says...
1:33pm Thu 22 May 08
I wonder if parking charges will rise as a result of lack of revenue taken during the works in May rather than doing the work out of season say in January?
nige, dorchester says...
1:49pm Thu 22 May 08
techie, Weymouth says...
2:17pm Thu 22 May 08
As long as the scum dont come to Weymouth who cares.
Thank you for your insightful remarks.
WDDC have dropped the ball on this one, if the access arrangements have been agreed and then been found not to work, they should be made to work as far as possible and not just wimped out on.
Mick the ExPat, Navarre Florida says...
4:01pm Thu 22 May 08
derek, dorset says...
9:11pm Thu 22 May 08
Yes while we drive on farm tracks to get there . Roads in Dorset are falling apart fix the infrastructure first , then the car parks.
DingDonG, Wilds of Wiltshire says...
9:26pm Thu 22 May 08
Homeless hit as café shutsHas anyone been arrested yet for this crime?
Dorset Boy, Wilds of Dorset says...
10:12pm Thu 22 May 08
derek wrote:May I remind you Derek that Dorset County Council are responsible for the infrastructure of the roads, but, after reading an article a week or so ago it seems to me that they would rather spend our tax money on buffets for the Councillors rather than repair the potholes in the roads.
Nick Browning, principal engineer for West Dorset District Council, said: "The work is necessary to improve parking for the town. Yes while we drive on farm tracks to get there . Roads in Dorset are falling apart fix the infrastructure first , then the car parks.
Local, Weymouth says...
10:16pm Thu 22 May 08
Local, Weymouth says...
10:16pm Thu 22 May 08
Iona, Dorset says...
7:27pm Tue 27 May 08
Local wrote:I take it you will be collecting gratuities too to pass on to the staff to boost their basic pay while the cafe is shut.
The staff are always so friendly, Hope they are still getting paid even though the cafe is shut
CLOSED: Bob Matthews of The Hub was not warned that the café would be shut
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free wessex, dorset says...
11:42am Thu 22 May 08
Another WDDC farce!!