New Name and Location for Glasgow's Winter Night Shelter

Published: 26 November 2020

Glasgow's Winter Night Shelter will open on December 1^st this year with a change of name and a new location.

Now known as the Overnight Welcome Centre, the emergency accommodation for people at risk of rough sleeping in winter will be provided in a Glasgow hotel, rather than in Lodging Housing Mission in East Campbell Street.

This move is due to the current Coronavirus pandemic and will enable people to physically distance and if necessary, socially isolate. This would not have been possible at the usual location which offers dormitory style accommodation.

Glasgow's Homeless Services Team has worked in conjunction with Glasgow City Mission, who have run the shelter since 2010, and the Scottish Government, to put the alternative arrangements in place. The accommodation will be funded by the city's Health and Social Care Partnership (GCHSCP) and the Scottish Government. Glasgow City Mission will provide the staff and resources.

The centre will run until the end of March 2021 and offer 25 places a night. Homeless Services staff will also be on site at the hotel each morning to carry out housing needs assessments for those who have stayed the previous night.

Jim McBride, Head of Adult Services at GCHSCP, said: "Glasgow's Overnight Welcome Centre will operate differently this year due to the global pandemic. We've worked closely with our partner Glasgow City Mission to offer alternative provision in a city hotel - to enable people to comply with public health guidance around social distancing and self-isolating when necessary. Prior to the pandemic, Glasgow had around 20-25 regular rough sleepers who have already been offered accommodation in hotels, but we are also taking over a floor of a city hotel to be able to provide accommodation for anyone further who needs it."

Demand at the Welcome Centre is expected to be the lower this year as temporary accommodation has already been offered to anyone found rough sleeping in Glasgow.