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Epping council continues legal bid against asylum hotel

On Tuesday, Epping Forest District Council voted to continue its appeal after Mr Justice Mould dismissed the claim earlier this month, ruling an injunction was inappropriate to close the Bell Hotel.
The dispute began after an asylum seeker was accused of sexual assault, sparking weekly protests and counter-protests around The Bell Hotel, which split the local community in Epping.
Councillors held an extraordinary private session to get legal advice, with Chris Whitbread, Conservative leader, saying costs will be published `very soon` and council tax will rise in the coming year, hoping to cover costs from council reserves.
The Home Office said the judgment lets it close every asylum hotel in an `orderly, planned and sustained programme`, while weekly demonstrations prompt increased local police deployments.
Previously, the council had won an emergency interim injunction to close the hotel in summer but the Court of Appeal overturned it, while the wider saga included Hadush Kebatu's jail, accidental release from Chelmsford Prison, and deportation to Ethiopia.

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