A chaotic attempt to hand out free items from a shuttered resort has gone back to the drawing board after the Fairmont Southampton’s first public giveaway on Tuesday ended up overwhelmed by turnout.

The resort said it was “grateful for the community's understanding and looks forward to hosting the furniture giveaway event at a later date”.

Tuesday was initially floated as the back-up day to continue distributing furniture and appliances from the premises, after security staff shut down this week’s event, pointing out safety concerns 40 minutes ahead of the doors opening.

However, the hotel announced yesterday that it was putting the brakes on giving out more items until it could manage crowd control and prioritise the needy.

Attendance for the first-come, first-served giveaway on Tuesday “far exceeded the hotel’s expectations”, a spokeswoman conceded.

Items such as king-size mattresses and television sets brought out a crowd from early in the day, growing to an estimated 1,000 shortly before the hotel was to open at noon.

The hotel, headed into a major overhaul, also had a significant volume of furniture stacked in the foyer for distribution.

The queue became packed and disorganised at the front, while a line of cars packed the resort’s driveway and spilt over to South Road. Seniors and people with young children could be seen.

Security staff convened ahead of opening the doors, then announced that the attendees would have to leave.

News that it was “not safe for anybody” was poorly received by some in the crowd, with many having arrived hours in advance, but people dispersed without incident.

The resort said yesterday that its giveaway had been delayed, with arrangements to be announced on Monday.

“This decision stems from the hotel's desire to better reach and serve those in genuine need while maintaining a safe and orderly event.

“Fairmont Southampton is fully committed to promptly rescheduling the giveaway to achieve these goals.”

A spokeswoman apologised for “any inconvenience caused by this postponement".

"Our commitment to the community and our sustainability goals remain unwavering. We are working diligently to reschedule this event and will provide updated details on Monday.“

Details will also be given on social media as well as the hotel’s website.