Hostel closed by en-suite rules

The new regulations require all rooms to be private with en-suite facilities

A Salvation Army hostel in Darlington is closing because it does not meet new accommodation regulations.

Tom Raine Court, which offers a mix of shared and male only facilities, will shut next year after the charity failed to submit a tender for the contract.

Tony Thornton, who runs the homeless hostel, said the building could not be adapted for en-suite, private rooms.

Darlington Council said it had a duty to work with providers who offer the "best prospects".

Mr Thornton, who was made an MBE for his work with homeless people, said: "They want the building reconstructed to have self contained accommodation.

"The building is unfortunately not built that way. We offer a half-board basis within the hostel, not self contained accommodation."

'Long association'

He added: "We've got to think about the 37 residents who live here who'll we'll obviously have to accommodate.

"There is a risk they'll end up back on streets, though we'll be working with the local authority and various other providers and agencies in the town to try and accommodate them."

Cliff Brown, the council's director of community services, said: "We regret that the Salvation Army did not submit a tender for hostel services in Darlington. We have had a long association with them and had looked forward to receiving their tender submission.

"Whilst we continue to support meeting the needs of those individuals experiencing homelessness in Darlington with £1.1m of funding over the coming year, we also need to ensure that these available funds provide accommodation to the widest ranges of service users."

He said the council would continue to support the residents currently living at Tom Raine Court.