A homeless encampment in Manchester city center will continue after a judge told the city to put plans to evict people on hold while he considers a lawsuit, but people with links to nearby businesses want it to go ahead. Winona Social Club is located on Pine and Manchester Streets in Queenstown near Corner Camp. The club’s treasurer, Patrick Garrity, said their business was “zero”. The eviction order for the homeless encampment comes after a judge told the city to put those plans on hold while he considers a lawsuit brought by the ACLU. “It’s definitely a safety issue. It’s definitely a health issue,” Garrity said. Shared a letter dated January from the club sent to Manchester Police. 11 Require law enforcement officers to enforce a no trespassing order. “The site at 168 Manchester Street is known as Ground Zero, given that the club, more than any other establishment around it, has absorbed most of the disruption to its business,” the letter said. “Our clients simply do not feel safe and our “Employees didn’t feel safe and left after closing at night,” Garrity said. A daycare owner in the area told News 9 that she is now closed and other nearby business owners say they just don’t know what else to do. Garrity said he once had bottles thrown at him when someone asked to leave the property, Weeks ago, he said he had to remove blood from an alleged fight on his front step. The city agreed to delay the eviction until at least Tuesday night. The judge said he would issue the order early next week.
A homeless encampment in central Manchester will continue after a judge told the city to put its plans to evict people on hold while he considers a lawsuit, but people linked to nearby businesses want the plan to move forward.
The Winona Social Club is located on the corner of Pine and Manchester Streets in the Queens City, close to the campsite. Patrick Garrity, the club’s treasurer, said their business was “zero”.
“There’s no question it’s impacted the business. I’d say our business is down at least 25 percent,” Garrity said.
He said he wants the city to enforce its eviction order for the homeless encampment after a judge told the city to put the plans on hold while he considers the lawsuit brought by the ACLU.
“It’s definitely a safety issue. It’s definitely a health issue,” Garrity said.
Garrity shared a letter dated January that the club sent to Manchester Police. 11 Require law enforcement officers to enforce a no trespassing order. “The land at 168 Manchester Street has been referred to as Ground Zero, given that the club absorbs the greater part of the disruption to its business than any other surrounding establishment,” the letter said.
“Our customers didn’t feel safe, our employees didn’t feel safe, leaving after closing at night,” Garrity said.
A daycare owner in the area told News 9 she is now closing, with other nearby business owners saying they just don’t know what else to do.
Garrity said he was asked to leave his house, bottles were thrown at him, and weeks earlier he said he had to clean up blood from an alleged fight on his front step.
The city agreed to delay the eviction plan until at least Tuesday night. The judge said he would issue an order early next week.