Croydon Council has been shamed into backing down from “utilising all available bye [sic] laws” to stop a local charity handing out food to the homeless and poor in Queen’s Gardens, as was revealed by Inside Croydon this week.

The sudden U-turn appears to be more of a hand-brake turn in an attempt at damage limitation in the face of the council’s latest self-inflicted PR disaster, in response to the widespread public condemnation.

Because the Conservative-run council is maintaining its intention of Croydon Nightwatch eventually being moved on, once the fuss has died down, all with the intention of avoiding undermining the value of a development of luxury yuppie flats on the site of Taberner House.

Council promises to work with the charity appear to be little more than crisis-management PR spin: the charity maintains that it has not yet been contacted by any senior councillors or council officers to find an alternative location…