Hotels in Bournemouth: Fury over three hotels near beach used to house migrants - as local says 'unable to do amazing cliff top walks'
Locals are furious as three top hotels near Bournemouth beach are being used to house migrants.
According to The Sun, the hotels are all within walking distance of Bournemouth’s seafront and have been closed to the public for more than a year. Earlier this year local Labour MP Tom Hayes blasted the situation, telling Parliament: “Bournemouth hotels cost the taxpayer eye-watering sums and everyone is stuck in a situation that nobody wants.”
The three hotels are The Chine Hotel, The Roundhouse hotel, and The Britannia hotel. One local wrote on X: “We have amazing cliff top walks in Bournemouth BUT we can't walk them anymore as there are three illegal migrant hotels in prime hotels right next to the beach all practically next door to each other.
“One is opposite a college !!! How about you come here and see what effect it is having“. Another said: “With hundreds of rooms now unavailable for holidays, other hotels can use this to increase their prices and it also impacts on availability of rooms.
“Why are hotels used? Use army bases. Plus women are clearly worried, in Bournemouth migrants are outside hotels and free to roam”.
The hotels offer more than 300 rooms which have been reserved exclusively for asylum seekers. There are growing concerns that the continued arrival of asylum seekers could damage the town’s £1.3 billion tourism industry.
The Bournemouth Area Hospitality Association described the government’s use of local hotels as “disappointing”. However, Rosie Radwell, BAHA chair and hotelier, insisted to The Sun that “Bournemouth and the South Coast remain a wonderful destination for visitors, and holidaymakers should rest assured of high standards and a warm welcome.”
A Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council spokesman told the paper: “The council carefully monitors the use of asylum hotels and the impact on our services, community safety and the local economy.” While a government spokesperson said: “From over 400 asylum hotels under the previous government, there are now fewer than 210, and we want them all closed by the end of this Parliament.”