Government to Appeal Against Epping Asylum Seeker Hotel High Court Ruling
The Home Office challenges the injunction amid rising protests and plans to close all asylum hotels by 2029, with over 32,000 asylum seekers currently housed in hotels, officials said.
- On Tuesday, the High Court issued a temporary injunction preventing asylum seekers from being accommodated at the Bell Hotel in Essex starting September 12, following legal action initiated by Epping Forest District Council.
- The council initiated legal proceedings following protests sparked by an asylum seeker accused of attempting to make unwanted advances toward a 14-year-old girl, while the government unsuccessfully sought to intervene prior to the court's decision.
- The injunction was granted due to the hotel being utilized for purposes other than originally intended and concerns about increasing tensions within the community, with multiple other councils exploring similar legal actions.
- Home Office Minister Dan Jarvis confirmed the government will appeal the decision to intervene and emphasized the need to close all asylum hotels in a managed way by the end of this Parliament.
- The appeal could lead to eviction of 140 asylum seekers within 24 days if rejected, and the ruling sets a precedent that may affect government housing strategies nationwide.
58 Articles
58 Articles

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UK Labour Government Fights Court Ruling To Shut Migrant Hotel
Britain’s Home Office will appeal the High Court decision to prevent asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel, Epping. A key government concern is that the earlier decision, which stipulates that migrants will need to vacate the premises by September 12, will set a wider legal precedent. The earlier decision ruled in favour of the local council, which argued that owners Somani Hotels Limited conducted an unauthorised ‘change of use’ un…
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