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Homeless set to benefit from pub transformation
A RUN-DOWN town centre pub could soon be transformed into a permanent day centre for the homeless.
The Bricklayers Arms on Hallgate, which has been something of an eyesore since it closed several years-ago, has been leased by the Queens Hall Methodist Mission who want to use it as a permanent base for the Key Project for the homeless.
The project has been running from their premises on Market Street since the start of 2005 and provides homeless people with meals and advice and support to get their lives back on track.
The project, which is a partnership between church volunteers, trained homeless workers and health professionals, is a response to an increase of rough sleepers in Wigan in recent years and grew out of night shelters held for the past two years at the Queens Hall during Christmas.
Now the Key Project has a client base of more than 60 individuals and more than 28 men and women attended its recent evening meeting at the church.
Rev Tim Hall of the Queens Hall said: "It is a very exciting time for this project.
"We went to look at the former Bricklayers Arms pub and in an interesting twist one of our members spotted the words "In God we put all our trust" engraved as a motto at the front of the pub.
"We took great heart from that and we knew it was right even before we had the opportunity to lease the building."
The church has leased the building from Green Pastures, a Christian property investment company based in Southport, who recently purchased the premises as part of its social housing portfolio, which already includes other properties in Wigan.
Proposals for the day centre may also include accommodation units at social rents for vulnerable Key Project clients who are committed to getting off the streets.
Rev Hall added: "The aim of the project is to give rough sleepers the support and confidence they need to turn their lives around and into a success.
"We are hoping to submit a planning application in the next few months and are planning to hold consultations with the shopkeepers and property owners in Hallgate."
Conservative Councillor for Wigan Central, Henry Cadman, said he welcomed the project, provided there was full consultation with local residents.
He said: "This proposed development to the old pub will be a big improvement visually and if people are happy that it will not cause any problems I think it is a good idea.
"This would be a chance to extend a project which is already operational from the church premises in Market Street and could help rehabilitate some of these homeless people and give them the chance of a normal life, which can only be good."
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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