'I would have them back' says hotelier as asylum seekers are moved out
Keith Richardson says the asylum seekers have treated his recently refurbished hotel with respect
Last updated 8th Jun 2023
As asylum seekers prepare to leave a Devon hotel, the owner's told us he'd happily have them back.
Torquay's three-star Abbey Sands hotel will be allowing members of the public to stay there again from June 25.
Keith Richardson has told us there's been very little damage and the community's been supportive - since asylum seekers were located there over the Winter.
"We've had no parades, protest marches," he said.
Later this month a controversial barge is being moved from Cornwall, where it is being fitted out, to the coast off Dorset where it will house asylum seekers. There have been a number of protests about the plan in both Falmouth and Portland.
Mr Richardson said the response in Torquay has been generally supportive, adding: "We've had lots of toys for the kids, as we have families as well as single people.
"They've been donating clothes, they've been very friendly towards our asylum seeker guests."
Mr Richardson says he hasn't been told by the Home Office what will happen to the asylum seekers once they leave his hotel.
"They were occupying my hotel in the Winter which would normally remain closed - in previous years in Winter time we closed the hotel," he said.
He added 'we haven't used the Abbey Sands hotel during the Winter time since Covid' as a result of difficulties recruiting staff and what he calls an 'oversupply' of hotel rooms in the bay.
Mr Richardson, who also owns Torquay's Grand Hotel and other sites, has previously rented properties to homeless people on benefits in Greater Manchester which is where his business started - before relocating to the West Country.
He describes Abbey Sands as a 'beautiful hotel' which was refurbished last year and said the asylum seekers have treated the building with respect - which makes it straight forward to reopen to the public later this month.
It's been reported the UK Government is spending more than £6 million a day on hotels and the Commons Home Affairs Committee has warned that figure could keep rising.
This week the Government announced plans for two further asylum barges to house around 1,000 asylum seekers - but locations were not confirmed.
The Prime Minister says small boat crossings over the English Channel have fallen 20 per cent but 'there was a long way to go' as he seeks to tackle the migrant problem and criminal gangs.
Rishi Sunak also confirmed the number of asylum caseworkers has been doubled to 2,500 as they look to clear the backlog of applications.