York homeless charity 'forced to move elsewhere'
The Hoping Street Kitchen normally sets up in Kings Square, but says changes to footstreet regulations means they can't operate there during their usual hours.
A homeless charity in York says they're being forced to move their service elsewhere.
The Hoping Street Kitchen has operated from King's Square on Wednesday and Sunday evenings (6-8pm) for around 5 years.
But coordinator Helen Meadows explains that footstreet regulations have meant that is no longer possible: "We've been waiting on information on whether we can return to King's Square. In light of the pandemic over the last 18 months we've not been able to serve food, and instead have been serving food to those who have been accommodated and struggling in York.
"It's only been since the Covid regulations have eased that we've started to ask if the King's Square site is available and have had plans to return. However, the increase in pedestrianised zones have meant that the site won't be available in the times that we operate.
"The restrictions went up to 8pm in the evening so we wouldn't be able to park our cars and set up the kitchen as we used to do".
The group are appealing to the public and businesses to help them find an alternative location, and say they need to be centrally based to meet the greatest need.
Helen says it's a frustrating situation: "Although we're helping people currently by providing hot meals - and I know lots of organisations in York have started up grassroots food banks - but there is still a lot of unmet need.
"A lot of the people that we help miss the camaraderie and the interaction with our group. We help in so many more ways than just providing food. We've had so many requests for the food kitchen to restart, and it is frustrating that when we can start back we haven't got a suitable site.
"I think the site needs to be central so that those who are rough sleeping or those who are used to us being in the centre can access us. It needs to be somewhere where we can park our cars.
"We're really widening our search now and asking local people and businesses if they know a suitable site such as a car park, so that we can have the kitchen once a week. We're hoping with the generosity of the people of York that we can start up again".
Helen says she's hopeful that they'll be able to find an alternative location soon: "Hopefully someone with a bit of land will come forward and maybe even in the short term we can start there.
"There may be some changes to the regulations in the pedestrianised zones that will allow one or two cars to set up, as King's Square was such an ideal location.
"There are so many people on the cusp of coping in York and other cities, made worse by the pandemic. Certainly for the homeless that we've helped this is an ongoing problem, and with the end of the 'Everyone In' scheme nationally there's going to be more and more people on the streets.
"Coming up to winter that's a real worry for us. I think we have helped with the other organisations in York to be a stopgap for people; making a small difference to help them cope and just get by.
"A nutritional meal may not seem much, but it may make the difference to a family in terms of their coping. It says an awful lot more than the food does that people are there to care for them".
We've contacted City of York Council for a statement.