A frosty welcome

Residents fear their sheltered accommodation will be left looking like a prison if they are forced to remove personal effects that brighten their hallways.

Those living at Burgage Close, Southwell, have been told by Newark and Sherwood Homes, which manages the building, that they have until Wednesday to remove unfitted carpets, mats and other items because they could be a fire hazard.

The residents’ association chairman, Mr Ray Pearson, 86, disputed the claim.

He said: “We call this the Gestapo approach because we haven’t had any chance to have any discussions about it.

“We understand it is because of fire regulations and we do take that seriously but if a fire is going to start, it will be in a flat so we will be long gone by the time it has spread to the corridor.”

Mr Pearson said new fire doors that had been installed would create more of a problem for residents because they struggled to open them.

He said they had been told pictures could stay if they were in glass fronted frames but all mats had to be removed, unless they were non-slip.

Mr Pearson said the mats reduced the risk of the floors becoming wet and slippery in bad weather.

He said: “If the hall is wet someone is going to fall. Are they going to compensate them?

“They said we could have non-slip mats and I asked if they were going to provide them but they said no.

“These are our homes. The hall is the first thing people see when they come in and it will just be stone walls and stone steps.

“It will be like a prison.

“They think we are pensioners so we will just do what we are told, but there is nothing worse than an angry pensioner.”

Mr Pearson said he had fought previous plans to remove personal items from the corridor in May 2001.

He was concerned that restrictions would eventually apply to what residents could have in their homes.

Newark and Sherwood Homes business service director Mr Stephen Feast said: “We have been working closely with the Fire Service to undertake fire safety audits of communal areas to ensure the safety of tenants in the case of fire.

“This has resulted in door mats and pictures having to be removed from communal areas to ensure that tenants has a safe escape route.

“We have worked with tenants to provide them with alternative solutions, which would ensure the safety of the tenants of Burgage Court.”