Sleeping 'pods' for homeless in seaside resort

Four emergency accommodation pods are to be installed in Skegness for rough sleepers, East Lindsey District Council (ELDC) has confirmed.

The self-contained units, measuring 8ft by 6ft, include a toilet, wash basin and bed. They will also be heated and have solar battery power.

The local authority is to spend £70,000 on the shelters to be used by single men and women including those who may not be able to access other forms of emergency shelter because of "complex needs" such as addiction.

The manager of the Storehouse centre, which offers services to rough sleepers, said the pods would give "privacy and security".

In a report to councillors, ELDC said the number of rough sleepers in its district has increased from 167 for the whole of 2023/24 to 152 in the first nine months of 2024/25.

Three quarters of those were in Skegness and the majority were single people.

Earlier this month the council defended the support it offers rough sleepers after a man was found dead in Drummond Road, Skegness.

The authority said the man had refused help.

It said the pods would be a "a stepping stone towards more permanent and secure accommodation" and those using them would be required to engage with local homeless services.

The location for the Skegness pods has yet to be decided. They have already been used in other parts of the country including coastal resorts in Devon and Cornwall.

The Storehouse centre in Skegness, which operates a food bank and services for rough sleepers, including hot meals and washing facilities welcomed the move.

Manager Diz Middleton said the pods would provide privacy and help to "those who don't want to be with other homeless people because of fears of safety".

Ms Middleton said rough sleeping "is a constant problem" in the town.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.