Government 'ignored' concerns over putting up 130 asylum seekers in Hull hotel

Dozens of asylum seekers have already arrived at the city centre hotel as part of a private arrangement between the Home Office, housing provider Mears Group and Britannia Hotels.

Hull Council, backed by city MPs, raised objections directly with Ministers last month, but say the Home Office pressed ahead with minor amendments.

Coun Rosemary Pantalekis stressed that their issue was with the Home Office, and was not the fault of those seeking asylum.

She said: “It is not acceptable that the views of those with administrative responsibilities for the city as well as the local knowledge and insight, can just be ignored by government.”

She added: “When you have 130 in a hotel in the city centre without a blade of grass, of course it is a cause of concern. It is a concern for services. During a pandemic we have to be extra careful.

“We obviously work with health and safety to make sure people are safe and make sure we continue the downward trend in Hull of community transmissions of Covid.”

She said voluntary bodies who potentially would have helped the asylum seekers, who receive food and toiletries but no other allowances, were currently unable to do so face to face.

She said: "I'm not sure I would put 130 single people from any part of the country in a hotel and say: 'Here's your food, your bed, you have no money, you have to get by, we don't know when we will move you on.

"Would you do that to anybody and say that's hunky dory?"

Her understanding was that the asylum seekers had been tested for coronavirus before they go into the hotel.

Mears Group said hotels had been used since March across the UK to house asylum seekers as a contingency during the pandemic and the situation was not unique to Hull.

A statement said the decision to use hotels had been approved by the Home Office, adding: "Mears has consulted regularly with the appropriate authorities to keep them updated, including Hull City Council and the local police."

The Home Office said: “The UK has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with temporary accommodation and support whilst their application for asylum is being considered.

“We have worked closely with Hull City Council to address their concerns whilst still ensuring that the Home Office fulfils its statutory obligations. We are working with a significant number of local councils, with Hull the latest, as we work to move away from these temporary measures related to the coronavirus pandemic.