A CHARITY that helps people with mobility issues will move temporarily to a busy car park once the Maidenhead shopping centre redevelopment is underway.

Chief executive of Peoples to Places Peter Haley told councillors sitting on the Maidenhead town forum the shopmobility service could move to West Street car park temporarily next year.

The charity, which was established in 1996, has 93 pieces of equipment, such as mobility scooters, which people with mobility issues can hire when they are out shopping in and around the town centre.

People to Places are currently based on the ground floor of the Nicholsons car park and is expected to have a new building in the redeveloped car park once construction works are completed.

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However, the works require the charity to move out of its current home to temporary accommodation. Mr Haley said at the meeting on Thursday, May 12, that the last he heard was that they were moving to the West Street car park as soon as the Vicus Way car park is completed this November/December.

He also said he hopes to move out as soon as possible after Christmas but was unsure how long they will be at the temporary site. Mr Haley said this will be a “good move” for the service as it is nearer to Sainsbury’s for people to easily access.

However, this was the latest update he had and was given to the former managing director of the council’s property company Barbara Richardson, who left last August.

St Mary’s ward councillor Gurch Singh (Lib Dem) said he was “concerned” that this arrangement has not been sorted out yet.

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He said: “We really need to get the service in a proper place and there are a number of council-owned buildings that are empty and not being used at the moment and it’s disappointing that something hasn’t been arranged.”

Cllr Donna Stimson (Con: St Mary’s) said she will link the service up with the current managing director of the council’s property company Ian Brazier-Dubber to provide updates on the regeneration.