Derek Somerville, a 65-year-old former finance director who lives near the Chez Nous guest house in Glasgow's Hillhead area, says he no longer leaves his home after dark because of the constant threat of violence linked to a B&B used to house homeless people.
Somerville, a member of the Hillhead Area Residents Association, said he has had to change his daily routine in recent years. He told the Daily Record: "In the last couple of years I've had to make changes to the way I live. There are so many incidents that I don't even take my dog for a walk after dark now, even to the end of the street."
Rising Crime and Antisocial Behaviour
Somerville described a rise in drug use and violence near his home. He said: "There's guys doing drugs there or drinking, or both, and violence often breaks out. So I'm basically not going on the street outside my home after dark."
He also said he has had to pick up discarded needles from outside his front door, adding that the council no longer provides that service.
Community Concerns Over B&B Accommodation
The Hillhead Area Residents Association claims Glasgow City Council is returning to the use of "dosshouses" that housed men for decades until the Bellgrove Hotel in the city's east end closed in 2021. The group argues that current measures rely too heavily on B&Bs, with many people crammed into small rooms with no communal space while dealing with addiction and chaotic lives.
Somerville said the selling of drugs creates an atmosphere of tension, and that "almost all" of the people housed in such B&Bs have complex issues. He said: "When you speak to some of them it's clear they are poor souls, who are lost and who find themselves stuck in hellholes. These places are not fit for purpose."
Council Response and Next Steps
Somerville said the council recently recommended closing the Glasgow Homeless Shelter in Glassford Street in the city centre, partly due to the threat of antisocial behaviour, yet continues to house people in B&Bs. He said: "The council ignores people in the west end - they tell us a different story, saying they've got a legal and moral responsibility to house these people."
Glasgow City Council has said support is given to B&B residents.
