Essex leaders demand urgent meeting with Home Secretary over Asylum hotels
Five senior Essex politicians have written a joint open letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, urging her to meet urgently
Five senior Essex politicians have written a joint open letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, urging her to meet urgently to discuss the continued use of hotels in the Epping Forest District to accommodate newly arrived asylum seekers.
The letter, sent on the morning of Wednesday 30 July, expresses serious concerns about the suitability of the Bell Hotel in Epping and the Phoenix Hotel in North Weald — both of which are currently being used to house asylum seekers.
It has been signed by Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex; Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Epping Forest; Alex Burghart, MP for Brentwood and Ongar; Cllr Christopher Whitbread, Leader of Epping Forest District Council; and Cllr Kevin Bentley, Leader of Essex County Council.
“These sites are proving to be entirely unsuitable and are placing an unsustainable strain on police resources,” the letter states. “They are creating significant community tension and leading to public disorder that is unacceptable to our residents and deeply concerning for the safety of all involved.”
The Bell Hotel, located in Dr Hudson’s constituency, and the Phoenix Hotel, situated in Mr Burghart’s, have been at the centre of growing local unrest in recent weeks.
Police have responded to repeated protests and public disturbances around the facilities, prompting calls from local leaders for the Home Office to reassess its approach.
The letter acknowledges the government’s broader objective of reducing reliance on hotels as accommodation for asylum seekers but urges the Home Office to move faster and take specific action on the Bell Hotel.
“We support the Home Office’s wider objective of reducing reliance on hotels and are keen to work with you,” the letter continues. “However, we urge you to accelerate this process and make The Bell Hotel in Epping a priority for urgent closure.”
The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner had already written to the Home Office on 22 July, raising concerns about the situation and requesting a meeting to review the use of hotels in Epping Forest and elsewhere in Essex. However, by midday on 30 July, no response had been received.
With public tensions continuing to rise and pressure mounting from local authorities, the letter marks an escalation in efforts to bring national attention to the challenges faced by Essex communities in hosting asylum seekers under the current system.