Westminster council threatens Charing Cross soup kitchen with closure

Volunteers distribute hot meals at the weekly service in Charing Cross. Photograph: Bloomberg/ View image in fullscreen Volunteers distribute hot meals at the weekly service in Charing Cross. Photograph: Bloomberg/ Westminster council threatens Charing Cross soup kitchen with closure Conservative authority says site is not safe for vulnerable people charity serves or general public Westminster council is making it “impossible” for soup kitchens to operate “crowds of vulnerable people” who turn up to be fed, a charity has said. Steven Stuart, who founded Friends of Essex & London Homeless (FOELH) with his wife, Cheryl, a decade ago, said constant complaints from the council could force the soup kitchen to shut down. The council is also facing a licensing battle with the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, who has objected to its restrictive new draft policy that would ban new bars and pubs from opening in Soho and the West End. The council also plans to restrict “vertical drinking” – standing while having a pint – in new bars, pubs and restaurants. The homeless charity runs a weekly event in Charing Cross, where volunteers hand out hot meals. It also provides new clothes and sleeping bags to rough sleepers, and runs a food bank. But Westminster council has sent enforcement agents to the soup kitchen, warning that it cannot operate as it currently does and raising concerns about noise and litter. Phil Jones, a FOELH volunteer, said: “We’ve received notice from the council that they intend to ban us from operating our weekly soup kitchen in Charing Cross. They cite litter issues but we clear away all waste and leave the area spotless, so that’s just an excuse from them.” Stuart said: “We are facing increasing challenges with Westminster city council surrounding our weekly Charing Cross outreach. Various requirements and obstacles are making it increasingly difficult to provide the consistent support that vulnerable people have come to rely upon.” These have included a threat of a £500 parking charge for the vehicle used to transport and distribute food, and demands that the charity obtain a costly waste disposal licence. A Westminster city council spokesperson said the soup kitchen was not safe at present. “Soup kitchens can provide a valuable service but need to be carefully managed. The council’s deputy leader, Caroline Sargent, said of homeless sites in Westminster: “Local people and businesses are fed up with rough sleeping sites springing up, and so are we.