A DOZEN charities are likely to need a new home after plans to shut The Winchester Centre were revealed.

Groups facing the door include the Citizens Advice Bureau, Relate and Winchester Area Community Action (Waca).

The idea to close it has come from Waca, which rents the building from Winchester City Council.

The charity says it costs too much because the groups sub-letting its offices are on short-term deals, and several are now empty.

Waca chief executive Paul Williams said: “It’s Waca that’s driving this and it’s not the case that the city council is saying ‘we want you out of here’.”

The organisation has 30 staff and a £1m annual budget, of which 15 per cent comes from Winchester City and Hampshire County Councils.

The local authority grants could shrink by 25 per cent over the next three years, which is one reason that Waca wants to move.

Mr Williams said they were looking at several new homes, including the city council HQ in Colebrook Street, but no decision has been made.

If the closure goes ahead, Waca and the council will offer help to find suitable new homes for the other 11 charities, including the CAB.

The Winchester Centre opened in 1996 in the city council-owned Casson Block in St George’s Street.

Mr Williams said if they found a new home, they would keep providing services to charities such as helping with funding bids and recruiting volunteers.

He said: “Times have changed as 15 years ago, office space and training rooms were the most important need for the voluntary sector in Winchester.

“Now we need to help groups respond to the challenges of a different funding environment.”

For full story, see this week’s Hampshire Chronicle.