Pro-and anti-migrant groups today demonstrated outside a three-star hotel that has been closed, forcing the cancellation of dozens of weddings and parties.
The Chichester Park Hotel closed last week after announcing it would do so earlier in September amid uncontested reports that the decision was made to use the building to house migrants.
Outside the hotel, protesters from both sides were seen holding placards, with one reading: ‘Welcome Refugees’.
Another carried the message: ‘£8m Payday Taxpayer’s Expense’.
Some demonstrators were also be seen using megaphones as police officers stood by. Images showed the hotel was sealed off by a metal fence.
Demonstrators at the Chichester Park Hotel today. The hotel was closed last week after announcing it would do so earlier in September
Outside the hotel, protesters from both sides were seen holding placards, with one reading: ‘Welcome Refugees’
Another placard carried the message: ‘£8m Payday Taxpayer’s Expense’
A spokesman for the Home Office said last week they would not confirm if migrants were now living in the hotel.
The hotel was said to be a ‘big part of the community’ and this is not the first protest staged to fight the decision.
Last Saturday, locals protested outside the hotel after it was closed.
The angry mob was met with opposing residents, who supported the apparent move to turn the hotel over to the Home Office.
Police officers were present to facilitate a peaceful protest.
A similar protest that happened the previous week saw locals claiming they had ‘no say’ in the decision.
The sudden closure has seen hundreds of events including weddings and Christmas parties cancelled on short notice.
Locals believe this is due to migrants moving into the 86-room hotel after two local councils released a joint statement saying that a hotel in the area might be used as contingency accommodation for asylum seekers.
the hotel has been sealed off by a metal fence. The hotel was said to be a ‘big part of the community’ and this is not the first protest staged to fight the decision
Some demonstrators were seen using megaphones
Police officers stood by to facilitate a peaceful protest
The statement read: ‘West Sussex County Council and Chichester District Council have recently been advised by the Home Office that a hotel in the Chichester area is being considered for use as contingency accommodation for people seeking asylum.
‘Decisions around use of hotels and placements for those seeking asylum are made by the Home Office.
‘We are not involved in the decision-making process.’
More than 50,000 asylum seekers in hotels at the end of June 2023, costing £8.2 million a day, according to Home Office statistics.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘We are working hard to reduce the unacceptable use of hotels by moving asylum seekers into alternative, cheaper accommodation, doubling them up in hotel rooms, and clearing the legacy backlog.’
The deputy leader of Chichester District Council, Jonathan Brown, has said: ‘The decision to use the Chichester Park Hotel to house asylum seekers is a private and direct arrangement between the Home Office and a privately owned business.
‘The council were not consulted, were not given any input into the decision and have no powers to influence the workings of the Home Office.’
Mr Brown criticised the government for allowing ‘a backlog of asylum applications to build up’, stating that refusing to allow people to work while waiting for their applications to be processed ‘doesn’t help anyone’.
He added: ‘The local community shouldn’t need to be put in this situation.’
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
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