THE homeless winter night shelter in Glasgow closes this weekend after hundreds of people used the service this year.

The number of people staying at the shelter in the first three months from December to February increased by 14%.

With the shelter closing on Monday morning rough sleepers will be back on the streets.

The organisers of the service however say a year round shelter would only disguise the problem of homelessness and see it become more accepted and would not be a long term solution to homelessness.

From December 1 when the shelter opened this winter until February 28 there were 554 guests.

For the same period the year before it was 486.

As well as providing somewhere warm to sleep the shelter offers support and help finding accommodation.

Glasgow City Mission who host the shelter in the east end said during the period 245 people got into accommodation.

The City Mission said it is difficult closing the shelter for eight months but it is necessary.

Carol-Ann Frame, Acting Chief Executive, said: “Choosing to run the night shelter for four months of the winter rather than opening it year round is a difficult decision to make. But there are a number of important reasons for this.

“We believe that year-round shelters don’t bring about an end to homelessness, but can simply mask the problem.

“Homelessness is a symptom of many other things that are broken, and many of those who come to the night shelter have a range of complex needs.

“Shelters, while important and often lifesaving, don’t provide a long-term solution for those who are homeless, nor address other needs such as poor mental health or addiction support.

“If we increase the length of our service there’s a risk that the shelter becomes an accepted norm in our society rather than highlighting the scandal that homelessness is.”

Glasgow City Mission has staff from the council’’s homelessness team on hand at the shelter to help people find a home.

Ms Frame added: “We want to see an end to homelessness and tackle the root causes of it and prevent it in the first place, and will continue to work with our partners to achieve this.

“Good partnership working between agencies, including having Glasgow City Council’s homelessness casework team based at night shelter five evenings a week, is helping our guests to get into suitable accommodation.”

Homelessness campaigner Sean Clerkin petitioned the Scottish Parliament to provide £40m from its ending homelessness fund to build and refurbish homes for Housing First and provide support services.

He said: “There is a crisis on the streets of Glasgow and on Monday there will be people put back on the streets.

“The leader of Glasgow city Council should be appealing to the First Minister for more money to fund homeless services.”