Waltham Forest Council told Christian Kitchen to move from its site in the centre of Walthamstow, east London, last year after the local authority complained that the soup run attracted anti-social behaviour.
According to Inside Housing:
After revoking Christian Kitchen’s licence to operate in the town centre, the local authority suggested the soup run move to a lay-by off a North Circular road around 40 minutes away.
Mrs Justice Simler, a High Court judge, today said the council’s decision was unlawful because it did not take into account the likely negative impact on vulnerable people.
She said: ‘The council should have considered the likely impact of its decision on the vulnerable users of the soup kitchen on the basis that the soup kitchen would close rather than on the wholly unrealistic basis that they would suffer little or no detriment because the soup kitchen could relocate to the lay-by at Crooked Billet [a roundabout in Walthamstow] which was well served by public transport.’
Christian Kitchen, which has operated for more than 25 years, serves around 80 hot meals per night.
Norman Coe, chair of the trustees of Christian Kitchen, said the organisation was ‘delighted’ by the decision. ‘We firmly believed that the proposed new location just off the North Circular was simply unsuitable as it wasn’t safe and was too difficult for vulnerable homeless people to access,’ he said.