Nadhim Zahawi gives his backing for Stratford hotel to stop taking asylum seekers
STRATFORD MP Nahim Zahawi has this week given his backing to return the Grosvenor Hotel to its original status after 13 months’ housing asylum seekers.
In a statement issued by the Stratford MP yesterday (Wednesday 1st November) he said he has now put the Grosvenor Hotel forward for inclusion on an exit list as one of the 50 to be included on an exit list announced by the Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick on 24th October.
As reported in last week’s Herald, Warwickshire County Council said it had not been informed by the Home Office if the Grosvenor is included in the hotels they plan to close to asylum seekers but all that could change early next year with the 79 room Grade-II listed hotel once again accepting guests.
The Government is currently reviewing which hotels need to be used as emergency accommodation following the numbers of migrants arriving by small boats dropping by 20 per cent.
Mr Zahawi said: “While there was such high demand for hotel accommodation to deal with the migrant crisis, the Grosvenor Hotel was one of those brought in to help deal with the situation. There’s still a way to go, but thanks to the efforts of the Government to stop small boat crossings in the channel, there isn’t such a need for so many rooms going forward.
“I know ministers are currently considering which hotels need to be used and so I’ve asked the Home Office to remove the Grosvenor Hotel from the scheme. I hope this will be done as soon as possible, to allow the hotel and staff to open their doors to the public who want to visit the great town of Stratford and get back to business as usual in early 2024.”
Since September 2022, both the county council and Stratford District Council have been involved in the welfare, along with volunteer groups, of up to 170 people living at the Grosvenor some of whom have escaped persecution in their homeland.
But if hotels like the Grosvenor are included on the exit list and no longer accept asylum seekers where will they go?
The Local Government Association is concerned. While it shares the government’s ambitions to end hotel use for asylum seekers, it added an acute housing shortage means it will be challenging for those leaving Home Office-funded accommodation to find an affordable, long-term place to stay.
The Grosvenor is one of 395 hotels around Britain housing 51,000 asylum seekers. Single women, couples and families seeking asylum in the UK have been prioritised.