'Please don't give rough sleepers money,' asks Milton Keynes Council

Currently 21 of them are settled at the hotel, which is on Graftom Gate.

But the council says it is still "having trouble" with a group currently sleeping in tents in the underpass nears M&S.

Cabinet member for housing Nigel Long said: "Yesterday, we had 21 of the 47 verified rough sleepers in the Travel lodge. We had a further 30 rough sleepers in other forms of temporary accommodation."

He said they are getting food and care support where required and police were also being helpful.

He added: "We are trying to encourage all rough sleepers to go to the hotel for support. However, we have a problem with a group of rough sleepers who have tents in the underpass near M&S.

"The problem is that shoppers at M&S are giving them both food and money. That is very decent and generous, but not helping our aim to get all rough sleepers off the streets and into accommodation where they can be helped and given food and care support.

"Our message to shoppers is "Please don't give rough sleepers food or money."

Travelodge signed a deal with the council to take the city's rough sleepers following a failed attempt to house them last week at the four star Delta Hotel at Kents Hill.

After just a couple of days the rough sleepers were evicted. The council said it was for "bad behaviour" but critics say the guests were given no support and little food.

The government issued an order last month that all local authorities should find safe and self contained accommodation immediately for every homeless person sleeping on the streets due to the coronavirus crisis.

Travelodge, which had closed at the start of the crisis, has re-opened 50 of its hotels nationally to provide accommodations for keyworkers and vulnerable people during the Covid-19 lockdown

Spokeperson Shakila Ahmed said: In these unprecedented times, our hotel teams across the UK are working enormously hard, under great pressure, to support the national efforts. We have hotels open from Aberdeen to Plymouth including our Milton Keynes Central hotel, providing accommodation for critical workers and other groups.’’

“We are reviewing daily which hotels are best positioned to support the needs that arise with the government while ensuring we comply with the restrictions in place to protect the public.”

HAD Chief Executive Officer.

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