A hostel in a former pub has closed after months of crime and anti-social behaviour, including a bomb hoax, a fatal overdose and attacks on emergency workers.
Cranmead started housing entrenched rough sleepers at Oscar House, in the former Racecourse Inn, on the corner of Elm Grove and Queen’s Park Road, last October.
The service, which was first run from a guesthouse in Upper Rock Gardens, aimed to provide a “homely” and “high tolerance” setting where people would not put under pressure to address substance misuse.
But police officers were regularly spotted there and, the following month, armed officers swooped after one of its residents made a bomb hoax.
Since then, other residents have been charged or convicted of criminal damage and attacks on police officers and paramedics – and in December, a 47-year-old woman died of an overdose.
Sussex Police said that between November last year and June this year, officers were called out to the address 45 times.
After residents continued to raise concerns with the council and police, the hostel closed on Wednesday 22 June.
Councillor Steph Powell, co-chair of the Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture committee, said: “Councillors received a number of reports from local residents detailing repeated crime and anti-social behaviour linked to a hostel in Elm Grove.
“These were escalated to council officers, resulting in a number of meetings between the council, residents and local PCSOs to listen to concerns and outline what could be done.
“Our community safety and private sector housing teams have been liaising with the service managers Cranmead and the property owners to address the concerns, and importantly to ensure suitable alternative accommodation be sought for the residents of the hostel.
“Huge thanks go in particular to two local residents who raised community triggers. This is a process that residents can use to ask agencies to review their response to anti-social behaviour or hate incidents.
“It applies when three separate incidents have been reported within a six-month period and residents are dissatisfied with the response received.
“We’ve now been informed that the property is no longer being used as hostel accommodation and is in the process of being handed back to the owners.”
A spokeswoman for Cranmead said: “Oscar House was set up by Cranmead to offer a bespoke accommodation and support service for extremely vulnerable people who had experienced homelessness or rough sleeping and would benefit from a smaller service setting and a homely approach.
“The project offered a psychologically and trauma informed model of support tailored to the individual’s needs.
“For many of the residents who lived at Oscar House this was the longest period of time where they had stable, long-term accommodation and where they felt safe, settled, had access to food, regular health care, help with applying for appropriate benefits, registering with a GP and could feel free from judgment when addressing their substance misuse issues.
“Local partner agencies regularly complimented the Cranmead staff for their caring attitudes and unconditional support.
“Staff and residents regularly cooked communal meals together as well as participating with weekly art and pizza groups.
“Sadly, one person died at the service at the end of 2021, despite the prompt actions from staff who were unable to resuscitate her. Another resident was arrested in relation to this death but subsequently released without charge. The coroner recorded the incident as death by misadventure.
“Cranmead staff worked closely with the Brighton and Hove City Council’s community safety team to implement strategies to minimise the impact of the Oscar House residents on the neighbours of the service and Cranmead implemented the actions that were suggested following the community trigger process.
“Cranmead staff also attended local resident meetings, worked closely with the police and met local neighbours on a regular basis.
“Ultimately, the service did not have the support of the local community or the elected members and Cranmead closed the service on (Wednesday) 22 June 2022.”
No lessons learned from that awful place in Newhaven.
Don’t keep putting people together with the same issues, give them a chance to get away from the temptation of others.
An outreach approach across the city, rather than having one place filled with people and staff, would surely be a more ‘person centred’ approach.
see how Greens care: 2 persons complain and then Council close it down
bradly
What about the 45 times were called to the address ?
What about the 45 times police were called.
Not nice to have that kind of thing in a Green constituency. What were they thinking?
“raised community triggers” what language is this ? I thought it was a location on what three words at first…
Clearly from cranmeads statement it’s clear that they didn’t give two hoots to people living near by.
Here is an idea, house people with drug problems in the countryside.
1 it’s peaceful, it actually may give them time to reflect on life.
2 there ‘mates’ can’t drag them back into the life style.
3 it’s probably going to be a lot harder to score drugs and buy cheap cider.
If only they could shut down the YMCA in North Road. That place is the worst for anti social behaviour.
Maybe the police could start arresting people for begging and street drinking. Would be a good start
Maybe they should ship the abusers back to the towns and cities they originally came from and let their own councils deal with them and foot the police bills!!!!
eVERYBODY’S GOTTA BE SOMEWHERE, ALL OF THE TIME, EVIDENTLY THE QUESTION IS ‘WHERE?
‘NIMBY’ PREVAILS, ‘TIS ‘HUMAN’ NATURE.
LET HE OR SHE WITHOUT SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE…
Maybe green party would like to look at their values! Elitist and unpleasant well done for making people homeless again!