Epping asylum hotel to close by 11 July, says Neil Hudson MP

The asylum hotel in Essex which has been at the centre of protests will cease housing migrants by 11 July, the local MP has said. Neil Hudson said the government told him the Home Office would terminate its asylum accommodation contract with the Bell Hotel in Epping, adding "This situation has gone on for far too long". All asylum seekers were removed from the hotel because of fire safety concerns earlier this week. A government spokesperson said the removal of asylum seekers this week was a precautionary measure and it took the safety of service users and staff extremely seriously. The Bell Hotel has been used on and off to house migrants since 2020. There were 138 residents at the hotel in the autumn, but the number has dropped in recent months. Demonstrations turned violent outside the hotel last summer after one of its residents was charged and subsequently convicted of sexually assaulting a child. The action against Somani, the company that owns the hotel, and the Home Office has cost the council £860,000, according to the latest figures. Chris Whitbread, its Conservative leader, said Thursday's announcement came "out of the blue" and accused the Home Office of failing to comm