Who owns The Bell Hotel in Epping? Somani Hotels explained, who owns this company - after council wins bid to stop housing asylum seekers
A council has won its bid to temporarily block asylum seekers from being housed at The Bell Hotel, in Epping, Essex.
Epping Forest District Council sought an interim High Court injunction to stop migrants from being accommodated at The Bell Hotel in Epping .The interim injunction demanded that the hotel be cleared of its occupants within 14 days, but in his ruling on Tuesday, Mr Justice Eyre granted the temporary block, while extending the time limit by which it must stop housing asylum seekers to 12 September.
Councillor Chris Whitbread, Leader of Epping Forest District Council, said: “I am delighted. This is great news for our residents. The last few weeks have placed an intolerable strain on our community but today we have some great news. Thank you to Mr Justice Eyre. For the first time in weeks we can see a chink of light at the end of the tunnel.”
The Bell Hotel in Epping is owned by Somani Hotels Limited. Somani Hotels said it intended to appeal the decision, its barrister, Piers Riley-Smith, arguing it would set a precedent that could affect "the wider strategy" of housing asylum seekers in hotels.
But the judge turned down the group's request, saying that he was "not persuaded there is such a compelling reason". Somani could still ask the Court of Appeal for the go-ahead to appeal against the judgment.
Somani Hotels Limited (UK) appears to be a relatively small-scale operator in the hospitality industry, registered in Essex. Listed below are the hotels it owns in the UK.
- The Bell Hotel, Epping
- Aubrey Park Hotel — near St Albans, Hertfordshire
- One Mill Street — Luton, Bedfordshire
Somani Hotels Limited is owned by Somani Holdings Ltd. It is a mid-sized holding company based in Stevenage, focusing on hotels, care homes, and related hospitality services. It plays a central role in the Somani group's UK operations. The Somani family maintains close governance and significant ownership control (notably through Hassanali Somani).