Asylum seekers will not now be coming to a Winchester hotel documents seen by local MP, Steve Brine, have confirmed.
The Home Office had earmarked the Winchester Royal Hotel in St Peter Street as a potential place to house asylum seekers in all 160 beds and officials confirmed to the MP, in a briefing call on Friday, the hotel owners were willing for the use to go-ahead as early as Friday 30 September.
Documents from the Home Office, released on Monday, now confirm that the deal has come to an end.
A Home Office official wrote: “It has become clear that we have been unable to secure this hotel and we will therefore not be using it to accommodate destitute asylum seekers.”
The hotel is owned by Castlebridge Hospitality Group, which also owns Holiday Inn Winchester and five other hotels across the country.
Castlebridge boss Simon Hall ‘categorically’ denied that the hotel would enter into any arrangements with the Home Office, despite the government organisation involving local authorities such as Hampshire County Council, Winchester City Council, South East Councils and other agencies.
Winchester MP Steve Brine voiced concerns and welcomed the reversal; "It was very clear from my briefing with Home Office officials last Friday that the owners of the Winchester Royal Hotel were willing to see their hotel used but they have obviously had a change of heart.
"For many different reasons, including those raised by the police and our local authorities, I think on balance that was a wise decision.
“Winchester has shown, with Hong Kong nationals, Afghans and of course our Ukrainian friends, it’s rightly got a big heart when it comes to welcoming people to our city but this would have been on a completely different scale and it would certainly have challenged some as principle and reality collide.
"I am sure we will continue to, more than, do our bit as a city for those seeking sanctuary in this country.”
