Asylum seekers face removal from Essex hotel as council secures High Court injunction

Asylum seekers are due to be removed from the Bell hotel in Essex after the council was granted a temporary High Court injunction to restrain the use of the Epping hotel as asylum seeker housing.

The injunction was sought by Epping Forest District Council to prevent migrants being placed at the property owned by Somani Hotels.

People have been protesting outside the hotel in recent weeks after it was reported an asylum seeker living at the property was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the town.

Mr Justice Eyre granted the application of the council against Somani Hotels at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

As a result of the ruling, asylum seekers must now move out of the hotel by 4pm on 12 September.

The injunction also stated the use of the Bell hotel for asylum seekers is not a permitted use of the hotel for planning purposes.

Councillor Chris Whitbread, leader of Epping Forest District Council, said: “The last few weeks have placed an intolerable strain on our community but today we have some great news. Thank you to Mr Justice Eyre. For the first time in weeks we can see a chink of light at the end of the tunnel.

“This is not the end of the matter. Having obtained an interim provision the next stage is for the council to return to the court and seek a permanent injunction.”

Sky News reported Somani Hotels intended to appeal the decision, arguing the restriction could affect the “wider strategy” of housing asylum seekers in hotels.

The hotel group could still ask the Court of Appeal for the go-ahead to appeal against the judgement, according to the media outlet.

Last month, a Labour peer revealed the costs involved in operating asylum hotels have reduced by a third to £6m per day as part of government efforts to cut their use.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves also committed to ending the “costly use of hotels to seek asylum seekers” by 2029 during her Spending Review in June.

The Bell hotel in Epping has been contacted for comment.