Protestors gather outside Epping hotel housing asylum seekers

LocalPolitics
30 Aug 2025 • 8:48 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

image is not available

Protestors gathered outside of The Bell Hotel in Epping on Friday after the Court of Appeal overturned a temporary injunction that blocked asylum seekers from being housed there.

The court judgement means that 138 asylum seekers staying at the hotel will not be forced to leave by 12 September.

Court of Appeal judges ruled that the closure of The Bell Hotel in Epping would have “obvious consequences” on the government’s duty to house asylum seekers and would “incentivise” other councils to seek similar legal action if allowed.

Epping has hit the headlines since protests began in July outside the hotel.