HOMELESS people had more than 500 overnight stays at a lifeline winter shelter while the rest of the country partied, it has emerged.

The Glasgow Winter Night Shelter was accessed 510 times last month, with up to 40 people bedding down every night as others shopped for Christmas and attended end-of-year parties with friends and colleagues.

Run by charities, the space opens on December 1 to help those sleeping rough escape the streets during the coldest months of the year.

Last year it extended its run for one month, staying open until the end of March to meet record demand. This year the operation will again run for an additional four weeks as need remains high and organisers say they are “heartbroken” at the lack of progress in helping homeless people into secure accommodation.

Glasgow City Mission, which operates the shelter in conjunction with the Glasgow Homelessness Network, Simon Community Scotland, Govan Law Centre and a number of other groups, told The National numbers remain “unacceptably high”.

An average of 25 people per night used the shelter – the only one of its kind in Scotland’s biggest city – during December, with the total number of visits down by 200 on the previous year, when the service recorded its highest ever usage with a 94 per cent spike.

However, visible rough sleeping has increased in the city, with vulnerable people using doorways on main thoroughfares including Sauchiehall Street.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “We are all seeing more people on the street in shop doorways. A few years ago they were sleeping in back alleys. Last year demand jumped way up. We had to turn people away on 32 occasions. We haven’t had to do that this year so far but it’s too early to say what it’s going to look like at the end of the season.

“People are asking us ‘why is this happening?’ It’s not a simple thing that can be easily solved.”

However, the closure of controversial hostels condemned for inhospitable conditions is thought to have increased the number of those on the streets. Though these private enterprises were slammed for the prevalence of drink and drug use, among other issues, Glasgow City Council has yet to match the number of beds lost with safer options.

A charity worker said: “Closing the huge big hostels was the right thing to do because they were really awful places in a lot of cases. If you didn’t have addictions before you went in, you would have by the time you came out.

“But they were not replaced with enough smaller places and that has had an impact on accommodation shortages. The suitability of accommodation and support is the key thing. Clients tell us there can be difficulties accessing suitable accommodation. It can take a long time.”

The doors to the shelter open at 10pm every night, with users given breakfast and connected with a council homelessness caseworker to seek long-term housing.

Detailing the winter shelter’s usage, Glasgow City Mission said: “The Glasgow Winter Night Shelter continues to provide emergency accommodation for those with nowhere else to sleep in Glasgow.

“While numbers remain unacceptably high, we and our partners are pleased that we’ve been able to speed up the process of getting guests accommodated by the council by having council homelessness caseworkers onsite for the first time.

“While this is good news, we remain deeply heartbroken for those who continue to need the services of a night shelter. In 2017 we should not need to have such a service.

“While demand remains, Glasgow City Mission and our partners are committed to doing all we can to end homelessness in Glasgow.”

Glasgow City Council said: "Our homelessness staff have been working in the Winter Night Shelter every night to engage with those using the service to ensure they are aware of the statutory support available to them.

"Our street team also engages directly with rough sleepers to try and divert them to services.

"Thankfully the number of people who sleep rough on any one night is very small compared to the overall homeless population.

"On any one night we have up to 2,000 people in homeless accommodation and recently invested £12m in two 30-bedded emergency accommodation units.

"The number of people presenting as homeless in Glasgow has dropped significantly over the past decade."

One rough sleeper told The National how a lack of full-time work had forced him onto the streets with his girlfriend.

The two came to Scotland from Romania but have been unable to access steady employment and irregular shifts in restaurant kitchens and on building sites mean they are unable to meet rent payments.

George, who works just two days a week, uses soup kitchens for hot meals and said: “I sleep in the street, I don’t like it. It is cold, it is not safe. I came here to work, not to beg. If I can find any full time job I will take it.”