A CHARITY that helps people recovering from alcohol and drug addiction wants to convert a York pub into a drop-in centre.

Changing Lives has agreed to buy The Melbourne pub, in Cemetery Road, and now hopes to secure planning permission for the project.

The charity already has a day facility in Walmgate, but operations manager Andy Ryan said a drop-in recovery centre would aid its work.

“For us, it is a little bit of fingers crossed time so that we can get the go-ahead,” said Mr Ryan.

“This will be a real asset to the recovery community and the community as a whole.”

Changing Lives has other bases in Gateshead, North Tyneside and Blyth where Mr Ryan said recovery centres have proved successful.

He added: “We have been looking at purchasing a building for the last 12 months, so that we can follow the same model that Changing Lives has elsewhere.

“The idea of the recovery centre is to support people in transition.

“Somebody will be there to help people get back into work and education. It is about rebuilding lives and getting people back into the community.

Mr Ryan also stressed that Changing Lives is keen to be transparent about the project. “Everyone is going to have their opinion and we will be here to dismiss any myths and inform people about what’s going to be happening,” he said.

“It’s not about drugs and alcohol. It’s about people who are quite far away from that now. It’s about rebuilding their lives.

“There’s no mystery to this. Addiction is a community problem and this is a community asset.”

If it gets planning permission, Changing Lives will consult widely over the recovery centre’s design.

“Before we actually do anything with the building, we want to hear from the community,” said Mr Ryan.

“We have the need for a recovery centre, but it needs to be bespoke to York.

“It’s a great opportunity and will be a great asset, but we want to say ‘how is this going to fit in York?’ “We don’t want to duplicate any good work that is going on in York.

“If possible, we will look to plug gaps where needed.

“We love to see people moving out of treatment and getting on with their lives.”

One Cemetery Road resident, who is concerned about the plans but did not wish to be named, said: “There will be a few objections going in about the planning application.

“I don’t know if we acting out of fear or what, but there are a lot of young families down here.

“There is some concern within the street. I can say that for definite.”