‘The loss of tourism to the area is impacting the local shops, pubs and restaurants,’ a councillor in the pretty Sussex village warned.
A councillor says the hotel has caused a drop in tourism in the village (Image: Google)
An asylum hotel in a small Sussex village is having a “negative impact” on tourism and social cohesion, a councillor says. Mid Sussex District Council has launched an investigation into how it can support residents in Copthorne amid concerns over the effect a designated asylum seeker hotel is having on the area. The Copthorne Hotel was first used to house immigrants waiting for their claims to be processed in 2021. Conservative councillor Graham Casella said locals were generally opposed to the usage and believed it was responsible for a fracturing of community relationships and a drop in visitor trade.
“The loss of tourism to the area is impacting the local shops, pubs and restaurants,” Mr Casella said: “The hotel was – and can be again – a major employer, especially for young people seeking local and first-time jobs.” “Protests, which are ongoing, have drawn people from out of the area to attend and some of these people have been aggressive and caused local unrest,” he added. “There’s a lack of social cohesion in the village caused by a lack of integration.”
Protests have been held outside asylum hotels across the country (Image: Getty)
Home Office data showed that the number of asylum seekers being housed in hotels across the UK rose by 8% to 32,059 in the year to August.
The data also showed that the government was processing claims more quickly, with 71,000 cases still awaiting approval compared to 134,000 two years ago.
By the end of June, 1,018 asylum seekers were living in hotels in West Sussex, with 477 in the Mid Sussex area, the highest proportion in the county.
Mr Casella brought a motion before the local authority to investigate ways to “help bring our community back together”, which was passed by 42 votes to zero with two abstentions.
He told The Argus: “For the last three-and-a-half years we have lived in an information vacuum, with repeated requests for information being ignored.”
“Sadly, when there’s a gap, people fill it with information that supports their own agendas, which is again causing unease and division within the village.”
Liberal Democrats council leader Robert Eggleston said: “We and other public bodies should do all we can to provide support to all residents living in the Copthorne area, wherever they reside.
“Fear of crime, for example, or uncertainties around social cohesion are important issues, and for us and other public bodies to provide reassurance and support is important to ease those concerns.”
