Crystal Palace football club has offered rough sleepers a room inside their stadium to spend the night, prompting a local councillor to call on other Premier League clubs to follow their lead.
Eight people used the shelter – a lounge which now serves as an overnight emergency refuge when temperatures hit freezing – on Thursday night, the first time it was opened.
Up to 10 homeless people in Croydon, south London, will be able to sleep at Selhurst Park, the club said, adding that it wants to be “a force for good in the community”.
As part of the initiative, agreed with Croydon council, people will be provided with a hot dinner, camp bed, breakfast and washing facilities.
“Freezing temperatures are a particular safety risk for rough sleepers and this is a wonderful gesture by Crystal Palace for helping us reduce that risk,” said local councillor Alison Butler, the cabinet member for homes.
“I do hope that the actions and support of our local Premier League football club will encourage more businesses in Croydon to get in touch and do what they can to help us address homelessness.
“There are so many buildings that could be put to use for other purposes when they are not being fully used and football grounds are a prime example. Crystal Palace are setting a standard for other clubs to follow,” she added.
The space is returned to normal club use in the mornings. When the team plays home games, rough sleepers will be referred to other emergency shelters in the borough and in central London.
Support workers will seek to advise those using the shelter and help get them into longer-term accommodation.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with Croydon council and their partner agencies to ensure that rough sleepers can find an emergency shelter in the event of severe winter weather,” the club chief executive, Phil Alexander, said, thanking volunteers and the supermarket Sainsbury’s for providing food.
“The club wants to be a force for good in the community and we are happy to do our bit to help those most in need.”
Crystal Palace players Mamadou Sakho and Christian Benteke recently visited the Skylight Centre, a community hub for homeless people run by the charity Crisis. Local homelessness rose by 50% last year, according to the charity.
Councils have a legal duty to provide emergency accommodation to rough sleepers in the event of freezing weather.