Pub spends £50 a week on food and blankets for the homeless

Publicans Ben and Wayne Taylor-Jones, at the Wilbraham Arms in Nantwich, Cheshire, said they decided to take things into their own hands with rough sleeping in the town now at a “critical level”.

Serious crisis

The married couple, who took over the venue in February, have launched a new scheme aimed at taking in the homeless and hungry off the streets and into safety.

“We are currently seeing 30 to 40 people a week here – there’s a serious homelessness crisis here,” said Ben.

“For anyone homeless that comes through our doors, we will make a butty and a brew of that person’s choice.

“We will also be offering blankets and sleeping bags for them to take with them so they’re that little bit warmer this winter.”

Warm hearts

Ben added that helping the homeless is something close to their hearts.

He explained: "There's not enough help for the homeless – they're left to fend for themselves – it's just not fair.

“We have had family that have been homeless before and we’ve seen the first-hand devastation that homelessness brings.

“We also ran something similar at our last pub in north Wales where we came into contact with people who couldn’t afford a meal or a drink.”

Ongoing goodwill 

In the season of goodwill, Ben say they are running the initiative indefinitely, costing them around £50 a week out of their own pockets.

“This will be indefinite and ongoing – we just want to do our bit for the less fortunate,” Ben added.

“If it continues to go down well with the community, we will look at opening a soup kitchen in the evenings for the homeless.”