Empty Scarborough shop front to be boarded up to prevent people sleeping in it through the day

The move was revealed today by Cllr Janet Jefferson (Ind) who represents the town centre ward on the authority.

The shop in question is the former Thorntons cafe in Westborough, which has a covered entrance way.

Cllr Jefferson was responding to concerns raised by Cllr Godfrey Allanson (Con) during today’s Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting as the councillors were discussing a town centre improvement plan.

Cllr Allanson said he was worried about the mess that was being left in the doorway when the person or persons using it has moved on.

He said: “Some of the days there are numerous sleeping bags, cups and half-eaten porridge pots and nobody there.

“For a visitor what a mess it looks. The people who come and visit us must look at it in dismay.”

Cllr Jefferson said the Scarborough Safer CommunitiesTeam had been in discussions with the owner of the building and the boarding up would take place “in the next few days”.

She added: “There are lots of steps being taken with [the borough’s] homeless but there are only a certain amount of [people in doorways] and they all aren’t homeless, some are but some aren’t but it is not a good impression of our town but I can assure you the Safer Communities and town centre police are working on it.”

The Thorntons cafe and shop closed last year with the loss of 13 jobs.