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Selfridges has agreed to remove a set of spikes from outside a flagship store after it was accused of targeting the homeless.

The firm faced a barrage of criticism after installing the raised metal studs outside a city centre store late last year.

Bosses insist the spikes were installed outside its Manchester branch to discourage its own staff from smoking outside the store - but tonight announced they will be removed

But a petition signed by thousands of people claims the fixtures ‘anti-homeless spikes’ - similar to those controversially used in London to deter rough sleepers - and brands their use ‘inhumane’, Manchester Evening News reports.

Store bosses insist the spikes were installed to discourage their own staff from smoking outside the store - but tonight announced they would now seek to remove the fittings.

Their comment came just hours after church leaders and a poverty charity announced plans to demonstrate outside the upmarket store on Thursday.

John Jones says the spikes outside Selfridges are 'disgusting'John Jones says the spikes outside Selfridges are 'disgusting.'

A Selfridges spokesman said: “As a business we value all feedback and it was certainly never our intention to cause any offence.

"As a business Selfridges cares a great deal about its local community – we employ over 1,500 team members in Manchester and as such are involved in a number of local and charitable initiatives.

“We have reached out to those whom have expressed concern on this issue and the store manager at Selfridges Exchange has met with Coun Pat Karney.

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"We have now made the decision to remove the studs and look at alternative designs to address the issue of smoking and littering by the side entrance of the store.”

The spokesman added that no timetable for removing the spikes had been set but would be decided following further talks.

Earlier today, plans for a demonstration outside the shop were revealed by the Church of England and the charity Church Action on Poverty.

The spikes outside Selfridges in Manchester city centre

Speaking earlier today, organiser Rev Adam Dickson, of the William Temple church in Wythenshawe, said he was unconvinced by the explanation given for the studs, of which similar designed fixtures had been deployed across a number of businesses in the capital.

(Image: MEN)

“We feel that the official line given by Selfridges is not very believable,” he said.

“If the spikes really were there as a deterrent for their own staff from smoking, it would suggest that Selfridges have no control over their own staff.

“But regardless of their intention, these spikes clearly represent a problem. It’s not just homeless people - it’s an inhospitable form of architecture.”

A petition started earlier this month by Manchester lecturer Cathy Urquhart calling for the removal of the spikes on change.org gathered over 10,000 signatures in just a few weeks.

A similar petition launched in London last Jne when metal spikes were planted outside a London apartment also attracted support from thousands and led to the eventual removal of the spikes.

(Image: MEN)

Even the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, conceded they were “terrible” for rough sleepers.

The move prompted supermarket giant Tesco to remove metal spikes from outside one of its Regent Street stores.

At the time, Tesco said they had initially installed them after customers complained of anti-social behaviour.

Homeless charities have long condemned the spikes for punishing some of the most vulnerable people in society.

Back in June, Jacqui McCluskey, director of policy at Homeless Link, said: “It’s shocking to see the use of metal spikes to discourage rough sleeping and hardly helps to deal with the rising number of people who are forced to sleep on our streets."