Statement from council regarding situation with Divine Rescue

10 January 2017

In response to recent stories about attempts to evict Divine Rescue from Thurlow Lodge:

Cllr Fiona Colley, Cabinet Member for finance, modernisation and performance, said: “I just want to be clear that at no point has Southwark Council tried to evict the Divine Rescue charity from Thurlow Lodge. The charity’s relationship has been solely with the Management Committee who told them last summer that they would no longer be running the building as of this week and it would be reverting back to the council.

“On Thursday a council officer and one surveyor went to visit Thurlow Lodge, not to evict Divine Rescue, but to check the condition of the building in preparation for taking back control of the building and to start preparing to reuse the community space. A full report is expected this week.

“It will be some time before the building is demolished and the council wants to see Thurlow Lodge continuing in community use for as long as possible, which is why we plan to go out to tender for a new organisation to run the centre as soon as we have established its condition.

“The council has already confirmed with Divine Rescue that we have, in good faith, granted an extra two weeks grace period whilst we work with them to find a solution to this issue and I would strongly encourage the charity to work with us to find a sensible solution.”

Page last updated: 10 January 2017