EXCLUSIVE: Residents living near the Essex hotel that sparked this summer’s protests say they feel “unsafe” after a court ruled migrants could continue living there.
A resident living near the Bell Hotel in Epping says she doesn’t “feel safe” and called on Keir Starmer to “stop being so woke” after a court ruled that it can continue to house asylum seekers. A High Court judge ruled today that Epping Forest Council had been unsuccessful in its bid for an injunction to prevent migrants from living at the hotel while they wait for their claims to be heard. The accommodation site became the focal point of country-wide protests and counter-protests over the summer after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
Joanne Bird, 35, who lives locally with her teenage daughter and two other children, told the Express: “I’m not happy about this at all, especially after the sexual assault. I don’t feel safe at all.” “The Government needs a drastic change,” she added. “We need to stop being so woke and start looking after our own.”
Ms Bird also questioned why immigrants who illegally entered the UK were getting “free room, food [and] gym [access] when British people are suffering”.
Shane Yerrell, independent councillor, called on the Prime Minister to “listen to the voice of the local people”.
He told The Express: “I’m shocked and I’m gutted for the family and both victims of the sexual self, there was a 14 year old girl and a 26 year old. I know how much they’ve been hurting in all of this.”
“I don’t care what colour somebody is or where they’re from my Social Circle was so diverse. It’s not about race religion or colour. We should all love each other but there’s been too many incidents and this hotel was too close to a school. Two sexual assaults, there’s been incidents inside the hotel, where a cleaner and a chef was attacked. There’s been young girls followed to from the school saying that they’re pretty asked for their Snapchats. That is a massive safeguarding risk. And that is why the hotels should be closed.”
Protests erupted outside the hotel after a migrant was charged with sexual assault in July (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
He added: “My message for the government and Keir Starmer is when are you going to start listening to the voice of local people? And where is your thoughts and consideration to the two victims that were sexually assaulted not far from this hotel?”
Not all Epping residents were against the decision, however. Martin Cousins, 77, said public attitudes towards the Bell Hotel had been blown “out of proportion”.
The High Court ruled today that asylum seekers could continue living at the hotel (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
“It’s created a very unpleasant sensation within the town,” he added. “It’s been very divisive. The fact that the place remains open is no concern from my point of view.”
Mr Justice Mould said in his written conclusion that while the council’s “desire to find a swift resolution to the disruption of public order and community tensions” was understandable, it was not a sufficient basis for an injunction.
He acknowledged that “the criminal behaviour of a small number of individual asylum seekers” had “raised the fear of crime” among locals but rejected the idea that hotel owner Somani Hotels had shown a “flagrant or persistent abuse of planning control”.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp described the judgement as a “dark day for local democracy” and accused Labour of putting “the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British citizens”.
A Home Office spokesperson said the judgement allowed it to continue its plan of eventually closing all asylum hotels as part of an “orderly, planned and sustained programme”.
