MPs Deem Lakeside Hotel ‘Inappropriate’ for Asylum Seeker Accommodation

The government’s choice to accommodate asylum seekers at a hotel situated by a lake has been described as “inappropriate” and “disappointing” by two Members of Parliament. The Home Office intends to accommodate 146 asylum seekers at the Dragonfly Hotel, located in Thorpe Meadows, Peterborough. This information was initially reported by the Peterborough Telegraph. Andrew Pakes and Sam Carling, the two Labour Members of Parliament representing Peterborough, stated their commitment to “fighting” for transparent information from the government. A statement from the Home Office to the BBC indicated that the department had taken over an asylum system experiencing “unprecedented strain”. In a collective statement, the MPs declared: “We have already spoken to ministers to express our strong opposition to the plans.” They added: “We will keep fighting for clear information from the Home Office and to ensure the hotel is stood down as soon as possible.” The hotel’s location is adjacent to Peterborough’s rowing lake and shares a boundary with Nene Park. Dennis Jones, the Labour leader of Peterborough City Council, asserted that the local authority was already accommodating “far more” asylum seekers than its proportional share, relative to other areas in England. The council has acquired a minimum of 40 residences for refugees since the beginning of 2023. Mr. Jones commented that the hotel’s site offered restricted access to local amenities and services. He further stated: “Peterborough has a proud history of welcoming asylum seekers and others in need to the city, but in a planned and coordinated way. Our resources are already stretched – we are already well above our dispersed accommodation quota.” A Home Office spokesperson indicated that thousands of individuals were caught in a backlog of asylum applications. The spokesperson also mentioned that the department was “delivering” a significant increase in efforts to deport individuals who lack the legal right to remain in the UK. The spokesperson added: “We remain absolutely committed to ending the use of hotels for asylum seekers and continue to identify a range of accommodation options to minimise their use.” Approximately 97,000 individuals sought asylum in the United Kingdom during the twelve months concluding in June 2024. The volume of applications has shown a gradual increase since approximately 2010, with a more pronounced rise observed since 2020. The BBC reached out to the Dragonfly Hotel, which is operated by the Surya group. For updates on Peterborough news, content is available on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.