NEW benches outside the £440m Westgate Centre have been branded ‘shameful’ after claims they were designed to prevent homeless people from sleeping on them.

Oxford’s Green Party hit out at the benches and said the armrests were added as a deterrent to rough sleepers.

Former county councillor David Williams said it was symptomatic of a wider hostility against homeless people and attempts to drive them from the city centre.

He said: “It’s really shameful – it’s obvious the handrails have been added to stop homeless people from sleeping there.

“It doesn’t fit in with the image of the Westgate, so they don’t want rough sleepers outside.

“They don’t understand that people in Oxford are compassionate and they care about others.”

Mr Williams said the homelessness situation was as bad as its ever been and called for more suitable benches as well as wider prevention.

He said: “It’s not just about one particular bench, it’s about the bigger picture.

“In all my years in Oxford I have never seen it so bad – it might have something to do with the closure of Lucy Faithfull House and Simon House and the reduction of beds at O’Hanlon house.

“Homeless people are being driven out of the city.”

“It seems mindless that we can’t solve this, in a place like Oxford.”

Westgate Oxford defended the benches and said the bars made it easier for elderly people and those with mobility issues.

Development manager for the Westgate Oxford Alliance, Sara Fuge, said: “Westgate Oxford’s public benches have been designed with our visitors in mind.

“Providing a back rest and arms to both ends is an essential part of inclusive design as it offers extra assistance for the elderly or those with mobility issues.

“A back rest provides extra support while an arm rest helps when lowering to sit and raising to standing.”

It also said it proactively supported tackling homelessness and has partnered with Aspire Oxford to create programmes to get homeless people back into work.