A SALVATION Army centre for the homeless has warned people using the service to stay clear of drugs.
A notice has been posted in the window of the Bread Street centre saying people had been caught "burning up" – slang for preparing heroin to inject – and using drugs in nearby stairwells.
The warning has escalated a row over plans for a new Salvat
ion Army homeless centre in Newington.
The notice goes on to say: "Police have advised that if users are caught, the offenders will be charged with drug offences and breach of the peace.
"Actions like this compromise our service and damage our relationships with the community around Bread Street. We can also be closed down by the police. Your actions would then deprive other service users of this service."
The charity will soon be moving out of Bread Street after its current landlords decided not to renew the present lease.
Residents and businesses in Newington are protesting against the proposed drop-in centre at 25-29 Clerk Street on the grounds that it would make the area a focus for "undesirables".
They say the site would be unsuitable for people with addiction problems as it is near an off-licence and a casino.
Residents fear the drop-in will attract antisocial elements into the area, and held up the warning notice from the Bread Street hostel at a recent public meeting as evidence of their fears.
Last month the charity insisted the centre in Bread Street was "dry" and that it did not accept people under the influence of drink or drugs.
Newington resident Don Jardine said: "This notice proves that the drop-in will attract undesirables into the area, but when we challenged them about this our questions were met with a stony silence.
"Every question was met by the same spiel about how valuable the service will be, but no-one is saying they don't provide a valuable service. We're questioning the logic of siting it so close to an off-licence and a casino."
Casino owners Bluelock also fear a repeat of the problems they faced with homeless people that forced them to move to Clerk Street from their previous premises near Hunter Square.
A Salvation Army spokeswoman said: "The notice that was placed in Bread Street demonstrates that we do take action whenever our service users are caught engaging in this type of behaviour in and around our premises."
A police spokesman said: "We are aware of issues in the Bread Street area and our central policing team has taken action to resolve the situation. We were assisted by our partners in the council, who helped by boarding up buildings being used for unlawful activity."
Major Robert McIntyre, the Salvation Army's East Scotland divisional commander, said that the Bread Street facility was sited next to several bars and strip clubs without any detriment to the service it provided.
Mr Jardine added: "If you're addicted to drugs and don't have much money, the last thing you're going to do is go for a pint and a lap dance. But you are more likely to try your last few pennies in a slot machine before buying a cheap bottle of booze."
The full article contains 546 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
