Homeless shelter in Grimsby left with 'extensive' damage after tiles ripped from roof

HARBOUR PLACE CREDIT
Harbour Place provide shelter in Grimsby Credit: Harbour Place

A homeless shelter has been left with significant damage after a man climbed on the roof to rip off the tiles.

The council said police were called to the Harbour Place centre in Grimsby on Tuesday night, 22 May, to reports of a man on top of the building.

Staff and residents had to be evacuated and go to the nearby Salvation Army hostel.

Emergency services attended to resolve the situation and a man was arrested.

Over two thirds of the roof was destroyed and tiles could be seen scattered on the street below.

Chairman of the Harbour Place Trustees, Andrew Brown, said the damage was "devastating".

Mr Brown estimated the cost could run into "many tens of thousands of pounds" due to the heavy rainfall getting into the building.

Tiles could be seen scattered across the street following the stand-off Credit: MEN Media

Dennis Batty, Director of Harbour Place, said he has been overwhelmed by the support of the local community.

Mr Batty said as well as support from North East Lincolnshire Council and the Salvation Army, they've been offered help from local tradespeople to get the building back up and running.

Mr Batty said: "It's been a miserable, miserable time for us. But looking at it now it does show how well services in this area can work together."

Mr Batty said that parts of the building have been made safe and thanks to offers of help, everybody will be housed overnight on Wednesday, 22 May.

Harbour place provides a day centre and nine short-stay rooms for people who have been rough sleeping and brought in from the street whilst longer term provision is found.

North East Lincolnshire Council provide funding for street outreach workers and night staff at the hostel.

Cllr Ron Shepherd, from North East Lincolnshire Council said: “Without Harbour Place, there isn’t any facility in the borough to help rough sleepers access the support they very much need, whether short term support in the day centre, or support to get them back into appropriate living accommodation.

"We will be working with Harbour Place in the coming weeks to understand what the longer term impact is whilst the facility is repaired.”

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