Concerns raised about Home Office plan to house asylum seekers at Rothwell hotel

An MP has described a plan to use a Rothwell hotel for asylum seeker accommodation as appalling.

Philip Hollobone has urged the Home Office to scrap its intentions to house those seeking asylum at the town’s Rothwell House Hotel.

Council chiefs have been notified by Government officials of the plan but have also raised concerns about the suitability of the 20-bed site in Bridge Street.

And Conservative MP Mr Hollobone – who called for immigration minister Robert Jenrick to quit after asylum seekers were moved into Kettering’s Royal Hotel in November – has again called for his resignation and said the plan to use the Rothwell hotel should not go ahead.

He said: “The Home Office’s intention to populate the Rothwell House Hotel with asylum seekers is a disgraceful, appalling and wrong-headed decision. It is the only hotel in Rothwell and is located right slap bang in the middle of what is a small, historic and much-loved market town. There will rightly be local outrage at the decision.

"On behalf of local people I have registered my strongest possible objections to the proposal direct to the immigration minister himself. I stood up in the House of Commons and called for him to resign his post in November last year when the Royal Hotel in Kettering was taken over for asylum seeker accommodation and I reiterate this call today. I have no confidence in the Home Office, its contractors Serco or the minister himself that they have the first clue what they are doing in relation to asylum seeker relocation.

“Asylum accommodation at this location would be completely unsuitable. I am advised that there will be a minimum of 35 asylum seekers, though there could be more, and they will be hanging around the heart of the town centre whilst the loss of this facility as a normal functioning hotel will damage the local economy by reducing the options of where visitors might be able to stay."

When asylum seekers could move there has not been confirmed by officials. As of this afternoon (Tuesday) the hotel’s website is showing rooms as being available, although they are priced from £995 per night.

Cllr Jason Smithers, leader of North Northamptonshire Council (NNC), said: “The Home Office has made the council aware of its intention to use Rothwell House Hotel as accommodation for asylum seekers.

“We have raised our concerns about this. The council is keen to support the accommodation of asylum seekers within the area but feels that it is important that the location and accommodation is suitable.

“Although the Home Office has a responsibility for placing asylum seekers and choosing the locations, as a local authority we play a role in carrying out our public health and environmental health duties.”

The use of hotels as asylum seeker accommodation costs the UK taxpayer £6m a day and has been hugely controversial. Last year NNC applied for a temporary injunction to block the Royal Hotel bid, but asylum seekers were moved in later that month despite serious concerns about the site. A bid to use a hotel in Corby was ditched days after it was announced after a furious local reaction.

Protests and counter-demonstrations took place earlier this year in Newquay and Skegness about the use of hotels as asylum seeker accommodation.

Rothwell mayor Cllr Karl Sumpter said he’s worried by the plan to use Rothwell House Hotel.

He said: "We’re a small market town with 7,000 people and one hotel. I’m not happy at all.

"If there’s any trouble like we’ve seen with the protests in Cornwall it will wreck the night-time economy.”

Cllr Jim Hakewill (Ind), who represents the Rothwell and Mawsley ward on NNC, said: "There have been rumours circulating within the community that the Rothwell House Hotel accommodation may be taken over by the Home Office for asylum seekers.

"Everyone will know about the Government's handling of this issue from national media coverage. I have asked for information and guidance but not received clear confirmation as to what the situation is that I can explain to residents."

A Home Office spokesman said: “The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain.

“We have been clear that the use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable – there are currently more than 51,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £6m a day.

“The Home Office is committed to making every effort to reduce hotel use and limit the burden on the taxpayer.”

Rothwell House Hotel declined to comment.