A petition has been filed with the county council to reinstate the homeless shelter in Market Square.

The ‘No Place Like Home’ proposal backed by the Churches In Monmouth Housing Group wants to bring back the overnight shelter in the Market Hall that existed before Covid.

The aim is to provide “emergency, temporary accommodation, and 'out of hours' advice and support, to vulnerable people”.

The group had responsibility for the management of Monmouth Nightshelter until the Covid Pandemic lockdown in 2020 when the building was taken back under the control of owners Monmouthshire County Council.

Prior to the pandemic, Churches in Monmouth Housing Group had provided furniture, equipment (kitchen, dining, etc.,) through fundraising and community donations. 

These resources are still stored within the building, but have not been used for nearly four years.

The group feels that given the increasing level of hidden and recorded homelessness in Monmouth, “it is a travesty that the Nightshelter building and resources are no longer used, forcing homeless and vulnerable people to sleep out on the streets, in subways and churchyards or other unsuitable accommodation fleeing abusive relationships and suchlike.

They claim that returning the management of the property to the Churches in Monmouth Housing Group would provide a much needed warm and safe accommodation at very little cost to MCC as the Nightshelter was staffed by qualified volunteers. 

“In addition, it would demonstrate community compassion, potentially reducing criminality, antisocial behaviour and restoring dignity and hope to homeless and vulnerable people.”

In 2019 Rev Catherine Haynes applied to convert the first floor of the Market Hall to a night shelter between the hours of 6pm and 9am.

The area was for many years the county court rooms and housed the Tourist Information Centre between 2008 and 2011 before being vacant for a number of years, only being used as a pop-up gymnasium for the leisure centre during refurbishment works.

It was proposed that Wardens will admit guests one by one, and will inspect their bags and be asked to show or empty their pockets to ensure that no alcohol, drugs or knives are taken into the shelter.

Each guest will then be given a camp bed, duvet and cover, sleeping bag, sheet and pillow which will be stored in a box with their name on once they leave in the morning.

Sheets and pillow cases will be washed every day and returned to the night shelter.

Guests will also be given towels and bags with shower gel or soap, a toothbrush and toothpaste.

A food box in the kitchen will provide mugs, milk, tea, coffee, sugar, plastic spoons and flasks with hot water.

Guests can be excluded should they break the rules to ensure the proper running of the shelter.

Warnings will be given and time allowed for the situation to calm down. Minor issues such as dispruptive behaviour may incur and exclusion of one night. Serious misbehaviour - violence, stealing or dealing drugs - will incur immediate exclusion for a period of time.

The application in 2019 was recommended for approval on the condition it only has eight guests per night and no other sleeping accommodation is provided at the site.