A public meeting on Wednesday night revealed concerns about rumoured plans to use the disused Charteris Day Centre in Eton as a shelter for the homeless during the freezing winter weather.

The day centre which belongs to Eton College closed two years ago after a decline in use by older local residents. The Royal Borough is currently in preliminary conversation with the college about using it as part of its winter plan to safeguard Windsor's homeless from the worst excesses of the winter weather - although nothing has been finalised.

At the meeting hosted by Eton Town Council and Eton Community Association attended by about 15 members of the public, opinions were mixed. Some residents who lived near the centre were anxious, while others felt it was an acceptable to use it to shelter the homeless.

Afterwards Town Councillor Malcolm Leach, who is also treasurer of the Community Association said that the association was neutral about the issue but that people wanted more information about what was likely to happen and what provisions would be made if the Charteris Day Centre was used as an emergency shelter.

Past mayor of Eton, Town Councillor Derek Bishop who was at the meeting, said: "We want to be supportive of plans to help the homeless but we are questioning how they would manage this in a tight community like ours."

The Royal Borough announced last month that it had plans to deliver a comprehensive package of cold weather support, aimed at getting the homeless off the streets.