A café for homeless people has found a new base after being served notice by Oxford City Council earlier this year.

It must now raise nearly £200,000 in order the bring the premises up to scratch.

The Gatehouse has been offering food and shelter to homeless people for more than 20 years, and can attract up to 100 people in a night, with as many as 200 volunteers helping out.

It is run six days a week and also offers an art group and access to the internet.

The charity’s AGM was told yesterday that a new home had been found for the café in the parish rooms behind St Giles Church in Woodstock Road, which will be shared with other users.

Andrew Smith, the project director of the Gatehouse, said: “We’re really excited at the prospect of the move, although it’s going to involve a lot of preparation and hard work. It was always a risk that we would no longer be able to run the café, but we knew we had a lot of supporters.”

The café has been based in Northgate Hall, St Michael’s Street, since 1991. However, the council, which owns the building, asked it to leave in January.

It still operates from its home in St Michael’s Street, and hopes to move in the autumn, but the Gatehouse will have to raise around £175,000 for renovation work, and an appeal has been launched.

This money would go towards new office and kitchen equipment as well as work to the exterior of the building.

Mr Smith said: “We have already made approaches to some trusts and in some cases they have approached us.

“We hope it will be possible to move in before raising all the money. It will be wonderful to have access all on one level for people with disabilities, as well as a proper office and modern kitchen.”

Oxford City Council took the decision to ask the Gatehouse to leave because of increasing financial pressures.

Councillor Joe McManners, executive member for housing, said: “The Gatehouse has provided a valued service to many hundreds of people over the years and it is regrettable that we have had to make this difficult decision.”