Locals Reveal What Has Been Happening After Their Quiet Town Was Flooded With Asylum Seekers Arriving From a Nearby Camp

Braintree is a historic market town in Essex, surrounded by peaceful countryside and small villages. The town was once well known for its wool and silk trade. However, in recent months, some residents say the atmosphere has changed because of concerns and protests linked to asylum seekers staying nearby.

Braintree is less than seven miles from the former RAF Wethersfield site. The site started housing asylum seekers in July 2023, when 46 single adult men arrived. Since then, the number of people staying there has increased greatly. Around 800 asylum seekers are currently being housed at the site, and the Government plans to increase the number to 1,250 as part of efforts to reduce the use of hotels for asylum accommodation.

Some of the men staying at RAF Wethersfield regularly travel into Braintree. The site itself has several facilities and activities, including a gym, art and dance classes, gardening, cricket coaching and English lessons. However, some residents have raised concerns about groups of men spending time around the town centre.

There is no known record of serious criminal convictions in Braintree directly linked to people from the camp, although one asylum seeker has been charged over an alleged assault on a woman at a charity shop in the town. He is expected to face trial at Colchester Magistrates’ Court next year.

Some residents, particularly women, have said they sometimes feel uncomfortable or intimidated when walking past groups of men in the town. One woman posted a video online saying she was thankful that a friend had walked with her to a bus stop because she felt intimidated. These concerns have added to the growing tension surrounding the asylum centre.

But concerns are not only about the asylum seekers. Some local people are also worried about anti-migrant protesters and online content creators travelling to Braintree because RAF Wethersfield has become known as Britain’s largest asylum camp. There have been confrontations involving people filming asylum seekers and challenging them in public.

Peter Harris, the Reform UK leader of Essex County Council, recently claimed that 17 minibuses were being used at the camp to transport residents to places including Braintree, Colchester and Chelmsford.

Thursday had previously become a common day for asylum seekers to visit Braintree because the refugee charity Care4Calais operated a drop-in centre at the Salvation Army church. People could receive donated clothes, food, hot drinks and other community support there.

Asylum seekers at the site receive a weekly allowance of £9.95, meaning they have very little money to spend in shops, cafés or restaurants. Some therefore spend much of their time walking around or sitting in public areas while visiting the town.

The weekly visits also attracted protesters and online content creators. Some filmed asylum seekers closely and confronted them while trying to produce videos for social media. This sometimes resulted in angry and uncomfortable scenes, increasing fears that tensions could eventually become more serious.

One video was shared by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage with his millions of followers on X. It showed asylum seekers sitting near Braintree town centre waiting for minibuses to take them back to RAF Wethersfield. Farage used the video to argue that other British towns could experience similar situations without a change in government policy.

The video was originally recorded by online content creator Anthony Barnes, also known as AY Audits. He filmed some of the asylum seekers as they tried to cover their faces or move away from his camera. In another video, he and other creators filmed migrants arriving in Braintree from RAF Wethersfield.

The Salvation Army drop-in centre later stopped operating because of security concerns. A church volunteer said the service had been suspended but could not confirm whether it would reopen. After the closure, there appeared to be fewer asylum seekers travelling into Braintree. On one Thursday, only one minibus arrived carrying five people.

Money has also been spent providing activities for people staying at RAF Wethersfield. Earlier this year, it was reported that a £50,000 Home Office grant helped fund different programmes. More than £14,000 went towards art and dance classes, while other money was used for gardening, English lessons, cricket coaching and other sports.

Some local politicians have criticised this spending. Reform councillor Nathan Robins said residents were already worried about the asylum centre and were unhappy about taxpayers’ money being spent on recreational activities while many local families were struggling with their own living costs.

RAF Wethersfield has also faced legal challenges. Two years ago, a small group of asylum seekers took legal action against the Home Office over conditions at the site. The High Court ruled that three asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Somalia and Eritrea had been housed there unlawfully because the accommodation did not properly meet their needs after experiences including violence, trafficking or torture.

Peter Harris has also criticised the facilities available at the centre, describing it as “Holiday Camp UK” after visiting the site. He said residents had access to a fully equipped gym, fitness room, football pitch, indoor sports hall, televisions, pool tables and three meals every day.