A KIND-hearted pub landlord is planning to open a new town centre café and living space that will help homeless people in Bolton.

Kevin Banks has been the landlord of the Sweet Green Tavern in Crook Street for the past 13 years and has regularly tried to help homeless people by letting them stay in rooms at the pub.

Now Mr Banks, aged 59, wants to help more homeless people by launching a new venture in vacant premises in Newport Street, opposite Bolton Railway Station.

The plan is to create a café, coffee and ice cream shop in the ground floor of the premises— which will operate as a business but with all leftover items being donated to homeless people.

Mr Banks explained: “I have been speaking to one of the local food kitchens and we would aim to make soup that they could then distribute to people living on the streets.

“I am also looking at making a lounge area with coffee tables and free wifi, this would be for anyone to come in, including students who have an hour or two to kill but also for homeless people.”

The second part of the plan is to develop the two floors above the retail unit into residential accommodation for 12-14 people, which would be split between paying tenants and the homeless.

The dad-of-six said he has been helping struggling people for a number of years after being shocked by the rising number of people living on Bolton’s streets and offering them a place to stay.

He said: “I have had a pretty good life and things are going all right for me, so I think I have got the ability to help people out and hopefully this plan will help.”