Owners of the former BHS site have been ordered by the council to board it up.

Preston City Council have instructed Freemont Ltd, owners of the Fishergate site, to board it up within the next two weeks.

Advertisements

The council has served a community protection warning requiring the boarding up of the store front on or before Monday 22 October.

If this order is not met, a further formal community protection notice will be issued giving the owners seven more days to complete the work.

Homeless people currently use the front of the building and extensive efforts have been made by the outreach team from The Foxton Centre to engage with them.

They have been offered safe housing solutions, but without any take-up to date.

Read more: Campaign to end ‘period poverty’ puts red boxes across Preston

Councillor Peter Moss, Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for planning and regulations, said: “Getting to this point has taken a significant amount of time and effort for all parties.

“Some people who beg on the streets often already have housing and refuse support from ourselves and partners. Therefore we continue to ask members of the public to support the great local charities in the city that work with vulnerable people, instead of giving money to those on the street.

“Our main objective is to come to a suitable outcome for the city with the building’s owner, and look to the future opportunities for this site.”

What do you think? Did you shop at the former BHS? Let us know in the comments below