Community shop for those in poverty seeks new home

The St Giles Trust says it cannot take the risks of signing a long lease owing to the short-term nature of its funding

A charity that helps people in poverty with food and essential services is looking for a new base with just three weeks left before it must vacate its premises.

The Pantry in St Saviour's Church on Magdalen Street was officially opened by celebrity chef and former Norwich City majority shareholder Delia Smith in January 2024.

Its lease expires on 30 November, and it plans to temporarily relocate The Pantry to its premises on Sackville Place while it looks for an alternative site.

Tracey Le Gallez, operations manager for poverty at St Giles Trust, which runs the service, said the team was "navigating a very uncertain funding climate".

"It would have been irresponsible for us to commit to a long lease without a suitable break clause," said Ms Le Gallez.

"Unfortunately, we were unable to reach a legal agreement on the lease terms for St Saviour's Church... which meant our solicitors could not provide the reassurances we needed to sign the long-term lease required.

"We simply could not risk being liable for any fines or legal issues that might arise from this."

Delia Smith, fourth from right, was at the opening of The Pantry in St Saviour's Church

The Norwich Historic Churches Trust, which owns St Saviour's, is responsible for 18 redundant churches in the city, and said it "addressed every concern they raised".

In a statement, interim chairman Chris McCarthy said: "We regret St Giles Trust's decision, as we had hoped to see them remain at St Saviour's under a secure agreement that would have protected both their service and the building's future.

"We understand the challenges many charities face and wish them well in continuing their valuable work elsewhere."

Ms Le Gallez said many of their service users were concerned at the "gentrification" of Anglia Square and Magdalen Street, and that they remained committed to the area and supporting local residents.

She added: "We had also hoped to secure a [40ft] container unit at the Box Park to relocate the Magdalen Street Pantry, so we could continue to provide dignified food support alongside our wider holistic services that help prevent people from falling into crisis.

"Sadly, due to very high demand, our application for that space was unsuccessful."

Meanwhile Creative, Norwich City Council's operator for St Saviours Yard, said: "As demand exceeded availability, we offered an alternative 20ft unit, which unfortunately didn't meet their practical needs.

"We were unaware of their full reliance on this move at the time but are now exploring ways to support them should a suitable space become available."