More than a dozen defiant councils are still planning on taking legal action against the Government despite the Home Office winning an appeal against the closure of an asylum seeker hotel in Epping.
Earlier today, the Court of Appeal set aside an interim injunction granted earlier this month which would have stopped 138 asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex beyond September 12.
In a significant victory for the Government, judges ruled in favour of the Home Office, who contested the need to fulfill human rights of asylum seekers trumped the safety concerns of locals.
It comes after Mr Justice Eyre granted an interim injunction to Epping Forest Council, amid protests following an alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl, 14, by Ethiopian asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu.
The 38-year-old has been charged, but denies any wrongdoing.
A full hearing is set to take place in October as the district council claim the use of The Bell Hotel, owned by Somani Hotels, as a lodging for asylum seekers violated planning regulations.
And although the Home Office emerged victorious at today’s hearing, at least 13 other councils are planning to launch legal bids in an attempt to shutter migrant hotels in their wards, The Times reported.
Labour-run councils, such as Wirral, Stevenage, Tamworth and Rushmoor are among those continuing to storm ahead with plans to launch legal bids against the government.
More than a dozen defiant councils are still planning on taking legal action against the Government despite the Home Office winning an appeal against the closure of an asylum seeker hotel in Epping
There were fresh protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping on Thursday prior to Friday’s ruling
There was a heavy police presence outside the Bell Hotel before today’s ruling
A woman waves a union jack flag outside of the Park Hotel in Chichester today as they protest outside The Park hotel
Protesters outside The Bell Hotel stand in front of a line of police officers on August 29
Elsewhere, Epping Forest District Council said it would take the matter to Supreme Court, so they can remove asylum seekers from The Bell Hotel sooner.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the ruling showed Prime Minister Keir Starmer ‘puts the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people who just want to feel safe in their towns and communities.’
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage echoed this sentiment, writing on X: ‘Illegal migrants have more rights than the people of Essex. Reform UK will put an end to this.’
Dame Angela Eagle, the asylum minister, maintained the government was following its plan to close migrant hotels by 2029, stressing that the recent Home Office appeal was required so move outs could happen in a ‘controlled and orderly way’
Conservative-run Broxbourne Council insisted they would go ahead with plans to challenge the Delta Hotel in Cheshunt, with leader Corina Gander telling Times Radio she ‘Absolutely [was] not’ deterred by the recent hearing.
‘The route that we’re going down is planning enforcement. So we’ve issued this week a planning contravention notice, which will give us enough evidence to prove that the hotel is not a hotel, it is effectively a hostel,’ she said.
Elsewhere in Spelthorne, the local authority said there was ‘no change’ in their plans to launch a legal bid after the use of Stanwell Hotel was changed from housing families and women to only single males.
On Thursday, an emergency meeting will take place to discuss legal action on the planning grounds.
Protesters wave flags outside the Bell Hotel following the major ruling on Friday
Local councillor Shane Yerrell said the government should ‘hang their heads in shame’
The Bell Hotel will continue to be used to house asylum seekers before a full trial of the council’s case
Following today’s Court of Appeal ruling, Wirral council said it would take into account particulars regarding Epping before making a decision.
The Labour-run local authority previously said it was ‘considering all options available’ to ensure hotels or any other properties in the local authority were being used lawfully.
Stevenage Borough Council, also run by Labour, said it was probing reported breaches of planning control linked to the Novotel Hotel in Hertfordshire.
Reform UK council, West Northamptonshire and Staffordshire, are also among those weighing up legal bids against asylum accommodation.
Earlier, Epping Forest District Council said it was ‘deeply disappointing’ by the outcome of today’s hearing, while issuing a stark warning to the Home Office that ‘the battle is not over’.
‘This is not the end of the matter. While the Court of Appeal has lifted the temporary injunction, the case for the final injunction is still to be heard. Our battle on behalf of our residents will continue.
‘A few weeks from now we will be back in court where we trust the strength of our case will still prevail.’
It comes as the decision enraged Essex locals who have been protesting outside the hotel for weeks. Tonight they took to the streets as well as those further afield in of Chichester, Cheshunt and Bournemouth taking part in protests.
Elsewhere, anti-migrant demonstrators protested wearing St George’s flags outside The Delta Marriott Hotel in Cheshunt
In Chichester, crowds have gathered outside of the Park Hotel in response to the recent ruling, with anti-migrant demonstrators waving their flags and demanding repatriation
Crowds gathered outside of the Park Hotel in response to the recent High Court ruling
Anti immigration protests have taken place outside the Park Hotel in Chichester, were migrants are believed to be housed, in recent weeks
Shortly after the High Court ruling, protest organiser Sarah White, 40, said the community was ‘outraged by the decision’.
‘This sends a deeply troubling message to our community – that the rights of asylum seekers are being placed above the rights of the residents.
‘We are especially concerned that many of the men being housed here are undocumented, and some have already been arrested for crimes of sexual harassment against young women and children in our community,’ she added.
‘This is unacceptable and raises serious questions about public safety and accountability. As residents, we feel abandoned. Our community will not stay silent.’
Within minutes of the judges’ decision local Conservative councillor Shane Yerrell, 42, turned up at the scene, lambasting the move as ‘disgusting’.
Other locals appeared to show their support by blasting car horns, and tooting their support for a handful of protesters arriving early on the leafy Bell Common opposite
Some motorists could be heard shouting out of their windows: ‘We’re never gonna give up – this country is f*****’, ‘There’s no space in this country’, and ‘Get ’em out’.
A counter demonstrator holds a sign which reads, ‘sanctuary’ with several red hearts drawn across it
They also stand with British flags on their umbrellas amid fury after a judge ruled asylum seekers can stay in The Bell Hotel in Epping
On the other side of the roundabout, residents call for peace and unity with one woman holding a sign which reads: ‘Welcome refugees’
More signs from counter protesters read: ‘Refugee families welcomed here’, and ‘please don’t scare them’
Local grandmother Anna Hall, 57, who was holding her own mini Union Jack, said: ‘We’re really disappointed. But this is not the end.
”I’ve been to each protest apart from one. Local feeling is very strong. It’s not right, we’ve got unknown illegal men wandering around the town.
‘When will people’s voices be heard?’
The talk of ongoing protests is worrying some residents who are already dismayed by the public demonstrations rocking this leafy spot.
Local office worker Paul Robinson, 43, said: ‘People need to calm down now, please.
‘We need to understand the decision, and feelings need to cool down. There’s so much anger, it’s wrong. I don’t think shouting at the hotel and the migrants will now help.’
Elsewhere in Chichester, crowds gathered outside of the Park Hotel in response to the recent ruling, with some anti-migrant demonstrators waving their flags and demanding repatriation.
On the opposite site of the roundabout, in front of the hotel have called for unity and peace, with Green Party councillor, Sarah Sharp, saying a stand needed to be made ‘show not everybody is represented by the far right.’
Quashing the injunction, Lord Justice Bean said Mr Justice Eyre – who granted it last week – ‘made a number of errors in principle, which undermine this decision’
Mr Justice Bean sat with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb
Protesters march towards the Bell Hotel this evening, waving England flags and Union Jacks
A protester holding a Union Jack flag near the Bell Hotel this afternoon
‘They are taking over the flag and setting the agenda at the moment. There are mostly families, women and children in this hotel.
‘It is important we are not walked over and we show the refugees they do have support and we stand for love, compassion, dignity and we welcome people.
‘It’s a whole different value system. We have a Christian belief system and we should stand up and practise those values.’
Protest numbers were down on the week before, where police made an arrest after counter demonstrators were intimidated as they left the scene.
Last week, the High Court ruled that all 138 asylum seekers at the hotel should be temporarily removed following legal action brought by Epping Forest District Council.
Yesterday the Home Office and owners of the Bell asked the Court of Appeal to reconsider the judgement.
Quashing the injunction, Lord Justice Bean, sitting with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb, said Mr Justice Eyre – who granted the interim injunction last week – ‘made a number of errors in principle, which undermine this decision’.
‘We grant permission to appeal, both to Somani and to [the Home Office]… We allow the appeals and we set aside the injunction imposed on 19 August 2025,’ he continued.
Anti-immigration Protesters block the road as Police attempt to hold them back, outside The Delta Marriott Hotel today
A masked man faces off with a police officer in Cheshunt outside the hotel believed to house migrants
A man appears to be shouting as he wears an English flag at protests in Cheshunt today
Protesters hold a banner reading ‘protect our kids’ during a protest earlier this month
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch urged Conservative councillors seeking similar injunctions to ‘KEEP GOING!’ despite the ruling
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper appealed against the High Court ruling ordering the Bell Hotel to be closed
An aerial view of the site in Epping, Essex
The judges also ruled that the Home Office could intervene in the case, saying that Mr Justice Eyre made an ‘erroneous’ decision not to let the department be involved.
Reading a summary of their decision, Lord Justice Bean said the Home Office had a ‘constitutional role relating to public safety’ and was affected by the issues. A full trial of the council’s case against the hotel will be held in October.
He continued: ‘The judge’s approach ignores the obvious consequence that the closure of one site means capacity needs to be identified elsewhere in the system.’
He added that such an injunction ‘may incentivise’ other councils to take similar steps to Epping Forest.
He said: ‘The potential cumulative impact of such ad hoc applications was a material consideration… that was not considered by the judge.’
The judge also said that the appeals were ‘not concerned with the merits of government policy in relation to the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers in hotels or otherwise’.
Touching on local residents’ concerns, Lord Justice Bean said: ‘The Epping residents’ fear of crime was properly taken into account by the judge as a factor in favour of grant of an injunction. He described it as being of limited weight.’
He added: ‘We agree it is relevant, but in our view, it is clearly outweighed… by the undesirability of incentivising protests, by the desirability in the interests of justice of preserving the status quo for the relatively brief period leading up to the forthcoming trial and by the range of public interest factors which we have discussed in our judgement.’
The full written judgement in the case, which Lord Justice Bean said runs to over 120 paragraphs, will be provided later.
