Epping hotel: Appeal court judges overturn High Court injunction ordering asylum seekers to be cleared - migrants can now stay

Lawyers for the Home Office and the Bell Hotel in Epping had brought a challenge over a previous ruling stopping migrants from living at the venue. The court says the Epping residents fear of crime was properly taken into account.

It is outweighed by the undesirability of incentivising protests and the desirability of maintaining the status quo, before the case is fully heard in October. Quashing the injunction, Lord Justice Bean, sitting with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb, said: “We grant permission to appeal, both to Somani and to (the Home Office).”

He continued: “We allow the appeals and we set aside the injunction imposed on 19 August 2025.” Giving a summary of their ruling, Lord Justice Bean, sitting with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb, said: “We conclude that the judge made a number of errors in principle, which undermine this decision.”

He continued: “The judge’s approach ignores the obvious consequence that the closure of one site means capacity needs to be identified elsewhere in the system.” He added that such an injunction “may incentivise” other councils to take similar steps as Epping Forest District Council.

He said: “The potential cumulative impact of such ad-hoc applications was a material consideration… that was not considered by the judge.” Three senior judges have ruled that the Home Office can intervene in the case related to a temporary injunction concerning the Bell Hotel in Epping.

Lord Justice Bean, sitting with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb, said that Mr Justice Eyre made an “erroneous” decision not to let the department be involved. Reading a summary of their decision, Lord Justice Bean said the Home Office had a “constitutional role relating to public safety” and was affected by the issues.