A Margate business owner says she feels let down by authorities after having a window smashed, flooring burnt and a pile of mess -including drugs, human sick and faeces – to clear from the front of her venue after being unable to gain help with a homeless man set up in the doorway.
Charlotte Silver says she called police and Thanet council to help after the man, who said he was from Huddersfield, set up camp outside her soft play business, Clubworld, in Marine Gardens.
It is understood the man may not have been eligible for housing help from Thanet council and the Winter Shelter team because he is from outside of the area.
Charlotte, who also owns a dance school and Silvers in Margate High Street, said: “I had people ringing and messaging saying there were fires in front of my business.
“We called the police but they said it was a civil matter and down to us to have him moved along.
“We couldn’t get into the building so had asked him to move. I also called the Thanet Winter Shelter and tried to get in touch with the council. Then the police did go down to speak to him and they found he had gone but left all the mess and smashed our window.”
Charlotte says she attempted to get help from the council to clear the belongings and mess left behind but was advised she would need to do this herself.
Charlotte said: “We had to clear all the rubbish, wrappers, drugs, sick, faeces. Last time our window was broken it cost about £1,000 and this time there are all burn marks on the floor as well.
“I feel really let down that none of the statutory services helped. This has cost money and the business is already closed. If someone had helped when we first called we could have avoided this.”
Kent Police confirmed officers are investigating the damage to the window.
A Kent Police spokesperson said: “Kent Police is investigating a report that damage was caused to windows of a commercial premises in Marine Terrace, Margate between 10pm on Sunday, January 3 and midday the following day.”
Anyone with information should call Kent Police on 01843 222289 quoting 46/1750/21.
Help for people rough sleeping
Thanet Winter Shelter is open until the end of March for people who have been rough sleeping.
The scheme, run through a partnership including Thanet council, Serveco, the homelessness RISE team, and groups such as the Salvation Army Ramsgate, has undergone changes due to Covid restrictions.
Instead of multiple church venues hosting rough sleepers overnight and for breakfast and evening meals with people required to leave during the day, accommodation is in one district building which has separate bedrooms and shower facilities and is open for clients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Any guests using the winter shelter will need to be verified as rough sleepers and referred to the service.
If you are concerned about someone rough sleeping, or need help yourself, contact Rise on 01843 577277. Emergency or out of hours: 01843 577000.
Email [email protected].
Here is a hard working lady trying to do the right thing (many wouldn’t). She has created a business for the benefit of the community and no one will help her. What does this say about our council and this country.
I hope she takes legal action against the police (if she crowd funds it I’ll gladly contribute!).
Charlotte this is a brilliant, enterprising business idea of yours and a fantastic way to utilise one of the many commercial properties available.
I wish you every success in the future and hope this unwanted ‘resident’ and resulting publicity has turned to your advantage by making more people aware of the service you offer. Hopefully, when the lockdown is over, you will experience a well deserved surge of clients. Take care and keep safe.
Is not the Vagrancy Act still enshrined in law and therefore Police cannot duck shove ?
Yet again a failed service involves tdc, no surprises there then.
On a brighter note. What a pair of stunners
Very few would disagree.
being homeless is no excuse for this sort of behaviour other homeless people do not behave like this, always one bad apple to spoil it for the rest
Nothing was said about the winter shelter being for local only when all the fanfares were blasted out with the accommodation this winter. Typical, there are always people out there that get missed out. If you are homeless, you are homeless everywhwere not just in one area. A lot of homeless people move around from area to area hoping to find peace of mind but are shunned by the authorities who should be looking after their wellbeing. It is a disgrace really as freezing cold out there at night. Has anyone even bothered to locate the man to see if he needs any help?
The ladies should also have received a better service from Kent Police at the time they asked for it. It is difficult to investigate an issue after the horse has bolted. And TDC cleaners should have been sent to clean the pavement up, not the owner of the building the man was sleeping in front of. This is pavement area where most of the rubbish left behind was left, not the responsibility of business holders in the area. A proper disgrace but something we have come to expect in Thanet unfortunately. There is too much passing the buck between authorities who should just act in the first place.
I feel very sorry for the homeless this should not happen , sadly it will continue .
The Police same as tdc and the shelter will pass the buck it’s not our problem.
No one knows why he is homeless be it drugs , drink or not any of those.
It is a very sad situation but perhaps a shutter would be cheaper in the long term .
If rubbish is left on the pavement it is TDC who are responsible to remove it but give them a few weeks like .
I think the land in front belongs to the owner and they have to pay , i might be wrong on this.
What do you in reality do? If TDC were to find accomodation for everyone that turned up on our streets it’d not ne long before THANET became a destination of choice for those wanting somewhere to live, hence the rules around elegibility for help.
I may well be wrong but i’d guess that TDC have entered intovanother cosy agreement with Paramount for this years shelter and its conveniently shoved another big chunk of cash their way and likely revolves around the old RBL. As for the nuisance it has caused the business owner , is it any worse than the issues those living close to a “drug den” have to put up with ? The police and council both do the bare minimum as its just so expensive to do anything else and often achieves little.
But stick another good few quid on council tax and we can start a new Thanet industry of looking after the countries waifs and strays
Yes I see that point as you say if everyone turned up then they would all come. Perhaps if he was shipped out to France and made his own way back he be well looked after