Understand
Phoenix Hotel in Epping to be cleared of asylum seekers, council announces
Overview
All asylum seekers living at the Phoenix Hotel in Epping are to be relocated over the coming weeks, according to Epping Forest District Council. The Home Office has used the hotel for asylum accommodation in recent years, a decision criticized by local council leaders due to its rural isolation and lack of proper infrastructure. With this move, there are no longer any hotels in the Epping Forest district housing asylum seekers.
Key points
- All asylum seekers housed at the Phoenix Hotel near North Weald will be moved out over the coming weeks.
- Epping Forest District Council leader Chris Whitbread welcomed the news, stating the hotel never met basic requirements for asylum accommodation.
- The council noted that all occupants have been notified and will be relocated to other parts of the asylum estate.
- Migrants were also moved out of the nearby Bell Hotel earlier in the summer following previous protests and security concerns.
- Council leaders expressed disappointment that the Home Office did not communicate the decision in a timely manner.