Why are British hotels at the centre of immigration protests?

Why are British hotels at the centre of immigration protests?

Over 32,000 asylum seekers remain in UK hotels, down from 50,500 in 2023, but more than 210 sites are still in use. A British High Court order to evict migrants from the Bell Hotel in Epping has emboldened other councils to consider legal action, challenging Labour’s promise to close all asylum hotels by 2029

Men walk in The Bell Hotel, following Tuesday’s High Court ruling in London that granted a temporary injunction to stop asylum seekers from being housed at the site, in Epping, UK, August 20, 2025. File Image/Reuters