Locals protest against turning pub into 15-bed home

Hundreds of people have turned out to protest against the conversion of a town centre pub into a 15-bed shared home.

Angry residents gathered outside the Crispin Arms in the Scholes area of Wigan, saying they feared an increase in houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) would lead to anti-social behaviour.

Duha Properties has applied to redevelop the pub, which became vacant last year, to "help address housing demand and reduce pressure to develop green field and green belt sites".

But residents like Paige Dickinson said many vulnerable people living in the area were "worried about what will happen".

Ex-military serviceman Steven Anderson said: “These HMO properties are not being made available to people on the housing waiting list."

The 66-year-old told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was facing eviction after being served with a Section 21 notice, and claimed he would soon be homeless.

"Properties like this will be for people other than me."

Ms Dickinson, 57, said there had already been issues with anti-social behaviour around the Crispin Arms, which she feared would get worse if the HMO plans go ahead.

Her daughter Jacqueline, 31, said what residents "really need round here is some kind of mini-store... or a building that could be used by the community.”

Sharon Poole, 55, said she feared the area was being "ghettoised".

There are currently 183 licensed HMOs with five or more tenants who form more than one household and who share bathroom and kitchen facilities in Wigan, according to the town’s register of such properties.

A Wigan Council representative said the authority had received the planning application, adding that residents could add comments online.

A decision is to be made "in due course", they added.

The BBC has asked Duha Properties for a response.