Soupkitchen closes to avoid jail

The operator of the network of Twist soup kitchens has avoided the threat of jail by shutting down his Ennis operation.

Last week, Ennis Town Council told Co Galway man Oliver Williams he could face a six-month prison term or a large fine if convicted of operating an unauthorised soup kitchen in Ennis.

In a warning letter from the council, Mr Williams was told his soup kitchen at St Flannan’s Terrace, Clonroad Beg, was unauthorised as it did not have planning permission. The move followed opposition to the soup kitchen in the residential area.

Yesterday, Mr Williams confirmed that he had shut down the kitchen and would not be seeking planning retention.

He said: “The real losers in this are the people in Ennis who need the service and there is a demand. I have received a lot of support from people for a soup kitchen in Ennis.”

Mr Williams said there was no point in seeking planning as “the council seems to have already decided that it would not grant planning permission for the kitchen”.

Residents had criticised Mr Williams for a lack of consultation before opening up his kitchen, but he said yesterday: “I don’t think consultation wouldn’t have yielded anything fruitful as people were opposed to it.”

Last Monday week, Mr Williams opened up the Twist kitchen and was quickly confronted by locals angry at a lack of consultation over its opening.

At Ennis Town Council’s September meeting, councillors backed residents’ concerns, calling on town manager Ger Dollard to take action to enforce the planning laws at the site.

Mr Williams said he wasn’t spooked by the letter, or by the council raising the prospect of jail if convicted of carrying out an unauthorised development.

He said: “It was a standard letter — I don’t take these things personally.”

Mr Williams confirmed that he is looking for an alternative site for his soup kitchen in the Ennis area.

He already operates such kitchens in Roscommon, Galway City, Loughrea, Sligo, Athlone and Tuam and has plans to open three more in Drogheda, Kildare and Mullingar.

Spokesman for the Ennis residents, Sean Doyle, said: “It is unfortunate that Mr Williams didn’t follow the proper planning regulations.”