Hutt St Centre volunteers defend against accusations their clients are the cause of increasing violence

HUTT St Centre volunteers have hit out at “disgruntled shopkeepers” who are blaming the homeless refuge for violence on the street.

• Other sides of this issue:

• Council sends guards to Hutt St to protect traders, customers
• David Penberthy: The deeper problem hurting Hutt St
• Three men arrested as Bici cafe owners consider closing down
• Alex Antic: Hutt St in danger of becoming economic wasteland
• Councillor wants Hutt St monitored but it’s too late for one trader
• Adelaide’s struggling restaurant strip: Hutt St is shut street

HUTT St Centre volunteers have hit out at “disgruntled shopkeepers” who are blaming the homeless refuge for violence on the street.

A group of long-serving volunteers has written to The Advertiser to defend the Hutt St Centre from accusations its clients are the cause of escalating violence and anti-social behaviour in the area.

The call comes as Adelaide City Council last week deployed security guards on Hutt St – a move supported by Hutt St Centre management.

In the letter, the volunteers said “adverse comments” from a “small group of disgruntled shopkeepers” were damaging the centre’s reputation.

“To hear adverse comments from several shop owners is distressing,” the letter stated.

“They are talking about a small minority of homeless people who are supposedly causing problems in the area.

“As volunteers, we never felt physically threatened by our clients – the majority of our clients appreciate the support we give to them.”

Hutt St Centre volunteers Jeanne Scardigno, Dulcie Boag, and Jenny Jachway. Picture: Tait Schmaal

The letter noted that the Hutt St Centre was established long before neighbouring businesses, which they said appeared to have “conveniently forgot the centre employs workers, volunteers and … clients who support their business”.

Dulcie Boag, who has volunteered at the centre for 37 years, told The Advertiser she had never felt threatened or unsafe on Hutt St.

Ms Boag acknowledged that some clients had been involved in incidents on the street – including stealing from the Hutt St IGA supermarket – but said it was unfair to “label everyone because of that”.

The council security push coincided with speculation the owners of Bici Espresso – who have repeatedly voiced fears of violence – had cancelled their lease.

Hutt St CEO Ian Cox said the centre had hired two more staff members to speak to local traders. Picture: Tait Schmaal

Hutt St Centre chief executive Ian Cox said he would welcome increased security if that is “what the community and traders wanted”.

Mr Cox said the centre had recently hired two extra staff members to spend more time speaking with local traders.

He stressed a number of the individuals involved in the violence were not Hutt St Centre clients.

“The situation is distressing for our volunteers, but just as much for our client group who live through this every day,” Mr Cox said.

“We still think it is a small – a tiny – group of people that have demonstrated some pretty poor behaviour and that has reflected on the rest of the client group.”