The government achieved a significant legal victory by announcing plans to close all asylum hotels by the end of the current parliamentary term. Senior judges overturned a ban on accommodating asylum seekers at a hotel in Epping, Essex, avoiding potential chaos in the asylum system. The Court of Appeal ruled against an injunction that would have required 138 migrants residing at the Bell Hotel to vacate by September 12.
This ruling is a win for the Home Office, anticipating legal challenges from other local authorities. The Bell Hotel has been a focal point for anti-immigration demonstrations, some of which escalated into violent clashes with law enforcement, following an incident involving an asylum seeker accused of assaulting a minor.
Local residents expressed mixed reactions outside the hotel, with some showing anger at the court decision and others calling for peace. Epping Forest District Council’s leader criticized the government for disappointing residents but urged protestors to refrain from violence to avoid playing into the government’s hands.
Previously, a High Court judge had issued a temporary ban based on the council’s argument that the hotel’s owner violated planning regulations by housing asylum seekers. However, on Friday, Lord Justice Bean, along with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb, overturned the ban, citing concerns about potential disorderly protests around asylum accommodations.
The judges cautioned that this decision could set a precedent for other councils to take similar actions and criticized the council’s delay in initiating the legal challenge as “procedurally unfair.” The final decision regarding the hotel’s fate will be determined in a forthcoming court hearing in autumn.
Despite the government’s pledge to close all asylum hotels by 2029, the immediate closure of the Bell Hotel raised concerns about displacing asylum seekers onto the streets. Home Office Minister Angela Eagle highlighted ongoing efforts to address system pressures, including deporting 35,000 individuals with no legal right to stay in the UK since July 2024.
The government faces challenges in resolving the backlog of asylum cases, which surged during the previous administration’s attempt to implement a controversial deportation initiative. Current statistics indicate approximately 32,000 individuals residing in asylum hotels, a decrease from the peak of 56,000 in September 2023.
Advocates like Steve Smith from Care4Calais and Enver Solomon from the Refugee Council criticized the use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers, emphasizing the urgency to end this practice sooner than 2029. They called for a special program to grant limited stay permits to individuals from specific countries, subject to security screenings.
Amidst demonstrations outside the hotel, varying opinions were expressed, with some calling for continued protests while others urged for calm and understanding. The community remains divided on the issue, highlighting the complex dynamics surrounding asylum accommodation policies.
