Esplanade's days as asylum seekers hotel to end

The Home Office is to stop using Paignton's Esplanade Hotel for asylum seekers, it has been announced.

Torbay’s MP Kevin Foster has welcomed plans to end the use of 50 hotels across the country which are currently being used as accommodation by the Home Office including the seafront Esplanade. The 'closure' will be complete by the end of January.

The hotel has only recentlty been bought by an Asia-based hotel chain company.

Mr Foster said delivering the outcome has received vital support from the administration at Torbay Council, who have been pro-active in using the council’s Planning Enforcement powers to emphasise The Esplanade Hotel is part of Torbay’s core tourism area and converting it to longer term residential accommodation was never acceptable.

The Abbey Sands Hotel in Torquay had been used by the Home Office but was taken out of use as asylum accommodation earlier this year.

Mr Foster says that with today’s announcement it means as of January there will be no hotels in Torbay holding a contract with the Home Office to provide asylum accommodation.  This step forms part of the Government’s overall plan to reduce the reliance on hotels to house asylum seekers and reduce the burden on the taxpayer.

He said those leaving the Esplanade, having been accommodated there by the Home Office whilst their asylum claims are being considered, are not eligible to apply for housing via Torbay Council and will be accommodated elsewhere in the UK by the Home Office.

Mr Foster said: “A hotel is not a home. The Esplanade was never meant or built to provide longer term accommodation. I am therefore pleased it will now return to offering tourist accommodation, as part of wider work to end the use of hotels as asylum accommodation, with packages to stay at the hotel in 2024 already being advertised online.”