The government is preparing to challenge a High Court ruling that blocked the use of an Essex hotel to house asylum seekers, escalating a dispute between ministers, local councils, and community groups over the placement of migrants in temporary accommodation.
Earlier this week, Epping Forest District Council won a temporary injunction preventing asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping. The decision came despite a last-minute attempt by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to have the case dismissed. The Home Office is now seeking the right to intervene, paving the way for a possible appeal against the judgment.
In response, Cooper said the government remained committed to closing all asylum hotels, but warned that closures must be carried out in a “properly managed way.” She argued that piecemeal court rulings risked causing further disruption across the country, adding: “That is the reason for the Home Office appeal in this case, to ensure that going forward, the closure of all hotels can be done in a properly managed way right across the country.”
A senior Home Office source described the matter as one of “democracy,” insisting that courts should not dictate where asylum seekers can be housed. Somani Hotels, which owns the Bell Hotel, also confirmed it would launch its own appeal against the injunction.
The council argued that keeping asylum seekers at the hotel would fuel community tensions. Concerns escalated after a man living at the hotel was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Epping, sparking protests outside the property. Thousands of demonstrators have gathered in recent weeks, with counter-protests also expected in the coming days.
Conservative councillor Holly Whitbread criticised the government’s approach, saying: “Our community can’t afford to wait another four years. The protests have caused a huge amount of disruption for the lives of normal people living in Epping, and it’s just not right that our community should have to put up with this further.”
An asylum seeker at the Bell Hotel told the BBC that hotels should be closed but urged the government to allow asylum seekers to work so they could support themselves.
The court’s ruling requires the 140 asylum seekers currently at the hotel to leave by 16:00 BST on 12 September. Since the judgment, several other councils have indicated they may pursue similar legal action.
Figures released on Thursday showed 32,059 asylum seekers were being housed in hotels across the UK, an 8% rise since Labour came to power, although still below the 2023 peak. Asylum applications in the year to June reached a record 111,000.
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp condemned the government’s decision to appeal, saying: “Instead of trying to keep illegal immigrants in expensive hotels the Conservatives would immediately deport all illegal arrivals and ensure towns like Epping are never put in this position again.”
