Fury as Labour reopens migrant hotel in UK town with locals scared to leave their homes

Some local residents in Epping, Essex, say they’re afraid and frustrated after a hotel in their area was reopened to house asylum seekers.

The Bell Hotel, which has 79 rooms, had previously been closed for this use under the last Conservative government. However, it was reopened in April 2025 by the new Labour government, despite their earlier promise to stop illegal Channel crossings and crack down on criminal gangs.

People living near the hotel claim they’ve experienced serious problems. Some say they’ve been spat at or harassed by people staying there. One woman in her 60s, who lives nearby, said her car was kicked and her family was targeted by groups of young men. She also said her son was chased and had things thrown at him while he was training for a marathon. Now, she says she doesn’t feel safe walking outside, even during the day, and always keeps her door locked.

Another local said she avoids going out after dark and is scared because she never expected to live next to a building housing dozens of asylum seekers. She said she was never informed that the hotel would reopen for this purpose.

Some residents also claim they’ve seen people from the hotel stealing from shops in the area. One man said he saw individuals take items from a Boots pharmacy and run away without paying.

There was also a fire at the Bell Hotel in April, shortly after asylum seekers returned. A man named Abdul Rahman has been charged with arson for that incident and another fire at a nearby hotel, although there’s no link between him and the other claims made by residents.

Several people, including retired workers and elderly locals, have spoken out angrily. They feel betrayed by the government’s decision to reopen the hotel and believe promises to fix the asylum system have not been kept. One man said he’s ashamed of how the country now feels more focused on helping foreigners than caring for its own citizens.

Local councillors say they were not properly consulted by the Home Office before the hotel was reopened. They’ve expressed serious concerns, saying the area is not suitable for this kind of housing. They worry it’s damaging community trust and safety.

The local MP, Dr. Neil Hudson, also said he was disappointed that the Labour government reversed the previous policy of closing asylum hotels. He stressed that residents had previously supported vulnerable asylum seekers with kindness and that many still do—but he wants the government to work with the local community to handle the situation better.

The Home Office responded by saying they inherited a broken system, with over 400 asylum hotels in use and £9 million spent daily. They said they’re now working to speed up decisions and remove people who shouldn’t be in the UK. However, many residents still feel like their concerns are being ignored, and they fear things will only get worse unless the situation is handled differently.