Rumours that a disused hotel in Norfolk will be converted into housing for asylum seekers have been quashed by the council, after a small group of protesters blockaded the site.
On Monday (4 August), demonstrators set up barriers outside the Vibe Hotel in Watton, preventing contractors from delivering temporary container bedrooms to the site’s car park.
These containers fuelled the suspicion of protesters, who had read rumours on social media that the building was set to be converted into a hotel for asylum seekers.
Breckland Council has since put out a statement, confirming that the Vibe Hotel “is undergoing refurbishment works and will continue to operate as a hotel”, adding that it is “not under consideration for the housing of migrants”.
It comes after several protests have been held so far this year outside hotels that are housing asylum seekers in recent months.
Here’s what we know so far about the Vibe Hotel protest and other demonstrations across the country.
What happened?
Officers were called to the Vibe Hotel’s site in Brandon Road, Watton at around 9.20am on Monday to reports of around 15 men and women preventing a delivery being made, Norfolk Police said.
It is understood that contractors were attempting to deliver containers used as temporary bedrooms, which fuelled fears among locals that these could be used to house asylum seekers.
Protesters blocked the entrance with vehicles, and could also be seen sitting on camping chairs in front of an orange plastic barrier set up by locals.
Breckland councillor Tina Kiddell, a Reform UK member representing the Watton ward, told Yahoo News how she went there “with the intention of trying to keep everything calm” and to “try and put out the fire that was being fanned”.
The Watton Vibe Hotel is currently out of use. (Tripadvisor)
She said confusion over who currently owns the site, which has been “passed to so many different people” had given rise to rumours on social media.
However, having spoken to planning enforcement officers, she learned that the temporary containers were being used to house construction workers – not migrants.
“I said, ‘at the moment, the only people doing anything wrong is us by standing here and blocking the entrance, so we need to go but keep a close eye on what’s happening’,” Cllr Kiddell explained.
She urged people not to “shoot from the hip when you haven’t actually got the facts and know what’s going on”.
Cllr Kiddell said locals had “no agenda” other than not wanting an asylum hotel “on their doorstep”, but that “a lot of far right people showed up and started hollering” later on.
“The ones that seem to go around to all of these protests showed up… They were swearing and shouting at the police and stirring up hatred,” she added, “that’s totally not what we were there for”.
A senior spokesperson for Breckland Council said: “The Vibe hotel in Watton is undergoing refurbishment works and will continue to operate as a hotel.
Tina Kiddell said locals had “no agenda” other than not wanting an asylum hotel “on their doorstep. (Supplied)
“The temporary containers will be used to house construction workers for the duration of the refurbishment works.
“Following direct confirmation from the Home Office and Norfolk Police we can confirm that it is not under consideration for the housing of migrants.
“I would like to thank the Norfolk Police for their role in swiftly de-escalating the protests and I can confirm no arrests were made.”
Where have there been protests about hotels with asylum seekers?
Around one year after rioting and disorder swept several UK towns and cities fuelled by false rumours online about the refugee status of Southport killer Axel Rudakubana, further protests are being held outside accommodation for asylum seekers.
On Sunday (3 August), a group of masked protesters carrying smoke bombs attempted to break into a hotel in Canary Wharf, which according to the Independent, is being used to house asylum seekers.
Demonstrators also gathered outside a hotel in Epping, on Thursday (31 July). Essex Police said no arrests were made, although the force has charged 14 people in connection to other recent protests outside the site.
There have been other protests in Norfolk in recent weeks, including outside hotels in Diss and Bowthorpe.
Speaking to the Eastern Daily Press, Green Party co-leader and MP for Waveney Valley, on the Suffolk-Norfolk border, blamed “out of towners” for stirring up “fear and division”.
“That is not who we are. Diss is a town rooted in compassion and decency,” he said. “We have a long and proud history of offering sanctuary to those fleeing persecution.”
Asked whether the Conservative Party was “partly” to blame for the UK’s immigration and asylum situation, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch laid the blame squarely at the foot of Labour.
“No I don’t accept that at all, because what Labour are doing is just rubber-stamping all of the applications and saying they’re processing,” she said.
“We need to make sure that when people come to our country illegally, they are deported.
“That is our policy. And what we’re seeing right now is an explosion in the use of these hotels because Labour have failed to stop the boats.”
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