Bolton Community Kitchen 'still in limbo' two months after becoming homeless

Bolton Community Kitchen operated out of the Salvation Army’s Bolton Citadel in St George’s Road to feed the homeless, elderly and vulnerable every Monday.

But it made the decision in April to move out of the premises after the Salvation Army told the charity that the rent would be increased from £15-a-week to £80-a-week.

Since then Gareth Bradbury, chairman of Bolton Community Kitchen, has been desperately seeking help to find a new home but has hit a dead end.

The group has opened up a temporary drop-in point at the old Yorkshire Bank unit in Bradshawgate, which allows homeless people to pick up a packed lunch, donated clothes and a brew.

But Mr Bradbury said they can not run the community kitchen service from the premises as the unit does not have the right planning permission.

He said: "We are still homeless. We have got a new drop off centre where the homeless can come and get a packed lunch, some clothes and a brew.

"But we can do anything to help the vulnerable or the elderly at the moment. So we are still in limbo at the moment.

"We have spoken to a lot of organisations and I've gone through a lot of the churches but nothing has come off."

He said the group would be happy to pay to rent any premises but said he could not justify the £80-a-week they would have had to pay at the Salvation Army unit.

A Salvation Army spokesman said in April: "Bolton Community Kitchen was initially allowed to use the space, one evening a week for £15 per session in November 2015, on the understanding that this was a temporary arrangement.

“However, the Bolton Citadel has recently undergone an audit and has had to review all licensing agreements to ensure they are still fair and appropriate to all parties and do not prevent the church from funding its own work within the wider community.

"In addition the church leaders have also been informed that the kitchen and ventilation system is unsafe and will have to close for at least six weeks for urgent repairs.

“Consequently the Bolton Community Kitchen has been informed that the kitchen will be out of action for a considerable time and the price of hiring the hall, kitchen and toilets in future will be £20 per hour.

“They have said they will not be continuing to hire the hall so the Bolton Citadel has extended the notice period from 30 days to six weeks to enable them to find alternative premises.”

Anyone who wants to help or get in touch with Bolton Community Kitchen can do so by messaging the group's Facebook page.