STAFF at a community centre caring for 100 elderly people say they have been told to ban mobility scooters for health and safety reasons. Volunteers at Alf Marshall Centre in Bransholme claim they were told to stop people on mobility scooters using the centre or face closure in the new year.
Inspectors from Humberside Fire and Rescue were said to have advised staff that scooters are a fire hazard. However, staff say a ban would leave elderly people, many on mobility scooters who see the centre as a lifeline, with nowhere to go.
Kathy Clark, treasurer of the centre, said: "We were most definitely told not to let in mobility scooter users because it will be a fire hazard. Every indication was given that we could be closed if we continued to let them in.
"I couldn't believe it because 99 per cent of our members are elderly, with a lot using scooters. There would be a knock-on effect in that even the elderly without scooters may not come if their friends with scooters are unable to. Suddenly, they would have nowhere to go and that would be terrible."
The centre stages activities targeted at the older generation during the week, including luncheons, carpet bowls, bingo and arts and crafts.
Mobility scooter user Mary Swain, 73, said: "It's disgusting. It is discriminating against people who need mobility scooters. I am so sad.
"I don't know what will happen but we are still using our mobility scooters to get in and out of the centre. The whole place is designed for people like us.
"I won't be able to come down to the centre anymore. The community centre really is a lifeline for so many elderly people on the estate."
James Ward, 90, said: "I come here most days a week because it gives me something interesting to do. I come in on my scooter, do my thing, and leave on my scooter. It is health and safety gone mad. It is a lovely centre."
The centre has been running for more than 30 years and has seen the amount of users grow in recent months. After being approached by the Mail, Humberside Fire and Rescue stressed mobility scooters are dangerous in the event of a fire, but said they had made a recommendation to the centre rather than an order.
Rob Grayson, technical fire safety manager at Humberside Fire and Rescue, said: "My understanding is the inspector was recommending rather than ordering. The fact is there have been mobility scooter fires in centres. It was more a comment to raise awareness about the dangers of mobility scooters.
"They can release large amounts of highly toxic smoke and gases. Therefore, all premises are risk-assessed on individual merits. After I visited the premises, there was no problem with using wheelchairs and mobility scooters to access the premises."
Richard Clark, chairman at Alf Marshall Centre, said: "There now appears to be some confusion over exactly what was said but the fact remains, there is no way I am stopping any mobility scooter users from coming into the centre, this is everything to them."
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