Furious locals protest outside three-star Chichester Park Hotel after it was closed to house illegal economic migrants – forcing cancellation of dozens of weddings and parties
- It is thought some migrants have already moved into the Chichester Park Hotel
- The demonstration, supervised by police, started at 10am in Madgwick Lane
Furious locals protested outside a three-star hotel after it was closed to house bogus asylum seekers in a move that cancelled dozens of weddings and parties.
It is thought some migrants have already moved into the Chichester Park Hotel, which closed earlier this week, despite dozens of angry residents swarming outside to stand against the decision.
The area was taken over today by protesters wielding placards which read ‘house our homeless first’.
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: ‘Police attended a protest which started at 10am at the Chichester Park Hotel in Madgwick Lane on Saturday 30 September.
The area was taken over today by protesters wielding placards which read ‘house our homeless first’
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: ‘Police attended a protest which started at 10am at the Chichester Park Hotel in Madgwick Lane on Saturday 30 September’
A spokesman for the Home Office said they would not confirm if migrants were now living in the hotel.
A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘The number of people arriving in small boats is down compared with last year, but we must go further to stop the boats in the first place.
‘That is why we are determined, through the Illegal Migration Act, to ensure that anyone arriving in the UK illegally is detained and swiftly removed to their country of origin or a safe third country.
‘We are also working hard to reduce the unacceptable use of hotels by moving asylum seekers into alternative, cheaper accommodation, doubling them up in hotel rooms, and clearing the legacy backlog.’
The hotel is said to be a ‘big part of the community’ and this is not the first protest staged to fight the decision.
A similar protest which happened last week saw locals claiming they had ‘no say’ in the decision.
Police attended to ensure both protests remained peaceful throughout the demonstration.
Dee Parker, 67, was one of the first to arrive last week and brought a banner to protest against the plans to house migrants there.
The grandmother of eight said: ‘Most people in Chichester are fed up with it all being done underhand – we don’t have a say in it. We are angry and upset and I’m fed up.
‘I’ve come here ever since I was a kid, it was always here, it’s a part of Chichester.’
Chloe Bridger believed her 26th birthday party in January at the hotel was cancelled but she wasn’t informed.
‘I have my party here every year,’ the carer said. ‘It’s home from home, it’s like a family because all the staff know us and and are really friendly with us.
‘I had my last birthday here, my 21st and my wedding reception. To not be told your event’s been cancelled – it’s awful.’
Her father in law, Gareth, was set to have a joint celebration alongside her birthday to celebrate his and his wife’s 27th anniversary.
The 51 year old, who is also a carer, said: ‘Every function our family has had has been in here.
‘It has sentimental value. They must have known this was coming and in the pipeline so why were they taking bookings?’
More than 50,000 so called ‘asylum seekers’ were in hotels at the end of June 2023, costing £8.2 million a day, according to Home Office statistics.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12578815/Furious-locals-protest-outside-three-star-Chichester-Park-Hotel-closed-house-migrants-forcing-cancellation-dozens-weddings-parties.html#comments
