The Home Office Offered Me a Huge Sum to Turn My Hotel into Migrant Accommodation, But I Declined Because of This

Gez Chetal, a 57-year-old man from Peterborough, took an old, abandoned building and turned it into a successful 11-bedroom hotel that has become a valuable part of his local community.

He recently shared with GB News that he was offered a lot of money to turn his hotel into housing for migrants but decided to refuse the offer.

He explained that he had heard many negative stories from other business owners who had made similar deals and regretted it later.

Back in 2013, Chetal took over the Thomas Paine Hotel, which was in very poor condition at the time.

The building, which is a historic Grade II listed property, was made up of three 18th-century cottages with a Victorian front. Chetal invested £1.5 million to renovate the hotel, located in the small town of Thetford. Today, the hotel is thriving, with 11 beautifully decorated rooms and a popular restaurant.

It has also become a special place for Americans who visit to honor Thomas Paine, an 18th-century political activist and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, who was born nearby.

The hotel gained even more attention when it was featured on Channel 4’s TV show *Four in a Bed* in 2016. Chetal has worked hard to create a welcoming space for both tourists and locals.

However, a few years ago, he was approached with an unexpected offer. He claims the Home Office offered to lease his hotel for up to four years to house migrants. The deal would have provided him with guaranteed income and tax benefits, which might seem like a great opportunity for many business owners. But Chetal said no.

He explained that he knew other hotel owners who had accepted similar offers and later regretted it. They found it extremely expensive to restore their properties after the migrants left.

Chetal pointed to the Dragonfly Hotel in Peterborough as an example. That hotel, which once had a beautiful location near a rowing lake, now houses 146 male asylum seekers. Chetal said this has caused problems for the local community, with nearby homeowners struggling to sell their properties because people are hesitant to live near a hotel filled with migrants.

Despite his decision, Chetal made it clear that he has nothing against migrants. He believes the UK needs migrant workers to fill job shortages and help the economy. In fact, he has gone out of his way to help vulnerable people in his community.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the hospitality industry was shut down, Chetal opened his hotel to the homeless for free. After 10 days, the local council asked if he could continue housing them, and they started paying him for it. He also hosted the Danish army for 14 months while they trained Ukrainian soldiers.

Chetal sees his hotel as more than just a business—it’s a vital part of the community. It’s a place where people hold weddings, meetings, and enjoy meals together. He has also used the hotel to help ex-offenders and homeless people find work through his initiative called Prismstart. Additionally, he has given talks at local schools and colleges, using the hotel as a space to inspire and educate young people.

Chetal believes that if he had turned his hotel into migrant accommodation, the community would have lost out on all these benefits. He told GB News, “I’d be the biggest idiot if I cut my nose off to fill my bank. I am not doing it.” For him, the hotel is about more than money—it’s about serving and supporting the people around him.

GB News has reached out to the Home Office for their response to Chetal’s claims.