Home Office terminates Epping hotel contract amid safety concerns and policy shift
The UK government has ended its lease with the Essex property, citing fire risks, while local officials warn the move effectively blocks residents' return despite a previous High Court ruling.
The UK Home Office has terminated its contract with the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, resulting in the immediate removal of all asylum seekers from the premises. The Epping district council confirmed the decision on Friday morning, stating that the hotel would cease being used for housing on 11 July. The move follows a precautionary removal of staff and residents on Thursday night, which the Home Office attributed to fire and safety concerns.
The property had become a focal point for unrest last summer after Hadush Kebatu, an asylum seeker residing at the hotel, sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and a woman. Kebatu was deported to Ethiopia in October. The incident sparked increasingly large protests on the outskirts of the Essex town, which were exploited by far-right activists and led to violent clashes with police, including racially motivated attacks on security guards.
Despite the turmoil, the High Court ruled in November that asylum seekers could continue to be housed at the Bell Hotel, rejecting a bid by the local district council for a permanent injunction. The council had argued at the time that the site acted as a feeding ground for unrest and protest. However, local officials and opponents of far-right activity have expressed concern that the early announcement of the contract termination effectively prevents residents from returning, even if the initial removal was intended as temporary.
The Home Office declined to confirm whether asylum seekers would return to the site once safety work is completed. A spokesperson for the department reiterated the government’s broader strategy to close all asylum hotels. The statement emphasised that the policy aims to remove incentives drawing illegal migrants to Britain by relocating them to basic accommodation, such as military barracks.
The government stated it is working closely with local authorities and property partners to accelerate the delivery of this new accommodation model. The termination of the Bell Hotel contract marks a significant step in this wider policy shift, raising questions about the future of asylum housing in locations previously deemed suitable by the courts.