Think outside the box to allieviate city's rough sleeper 'problem'

AN estimated 40 rough sleepers in Hull stargazing every single night.

- Godfrey Holmes.

Terrified their bedding will be hosed or lost or stolen or thrown away as soon as they leave their patch for a cup of lukewarm tea.

Even though the city of Hull hasn't got so entrenched a “problem” as Manchester, Birmingham or London, rough sleepers here are equally in search of doorways - because doorways sometimes have porches and porches sometimes have ceilings. Which is the essence of the issue: “sometimes”.

Nobody, nobody at all, seems to have worked out that it would cost hardly any money, imposing even less risk, if the ground floors of derelict and deserted retail units were opened up to welcome in rough sleepers attempting, in vain, to get four hours of slumber a matter of feet - or inches - away from the shop floor.

So why not open selected, if necessary rotating, abandoned retail premises for the city's rough sleepers?