SALVATION Army fundraisers were kicked out of the Oak Mall - sparking an angry backlash from shoppers.

Now shopping centre bosses have come under fire following the decision to cut the charity’s allocated collection times each month by half.
Up until now volunteers have gone in to the Greenock shopping centre every week to sell a 20p magazine.

Out of the blue they were turned away and told they would no longer be able to come into the mall to fundraise.

Disgusted shopper Mary Bonnar, 72, told the Tele that, as an Oak Mall customer, she was incensed by the ban.

She said: “The Oak Mall management would be better off getting businesses into all the empty shops, rather than removing charities from it that help people.

“I am so angry about this.”

It is understood that the Salvation Army are unable to come in regularly because a private company is now in charge of the Oak Mall’s floor space.

The shopping centre has suffered the loss of a number of retailers in recent years and has faced criticism about rent increases.

Another shopper added: “One of the Salvation Army members was about 70. It is not the way to treat people. The Salvation Army is a much-loved charity in the area.”

Another added: “The Salvation Army members have been seen in the mall for as long as I can remember and do sterling work in the community as volunteers.”

It is understood the Oak Mall have backtracked and told the Salvation Army they can come in ‘a couple of afternoons a month’.

A Salvation Army spokesperson said today: “We will be sorry to lose the opportunity to continue selling our War Cry newspaper there every Friday, especially as this has enabled us to offer a listening ear and, where possible, practical support over the years.” 

The Christian organisation use the magazine to profile their work and all the money raised is ploughed back into their services.

The Salvation Army, which has branches in both Port Glasgow and Greenock, also use the opportunity in the mall to reach out to people and signpost them to other services.

In Inverclyde, they run a number of services including a housing support programme for people with addiction issues.

The Christian organisation also offer drops in and ways for people to get the help they desperately need.

The Oak Mall centre manager Claire Jefcoate told the Telegraph the situation was was due to a lack of communication between the Salvation Army and their volunteers.

She said: “The Salvation Army previously collected for two hours four mornings a month. Following an increase in our free community bookings utilising our promotional floorspace during the week, the Salvation Army was contacted at the end of April to re-adjust their collection times. The Salvation Army will collect at the Oak Mall in a designated space every alternative Friday.

“The Salvation Army failed to notify their collection agent who was refused access by the Oak Mall to collect on a day that was not allocated under the new arrangement.

“There has been direct communication between the Oak Mall and the local Salvation Army Office at all times.”