UK High Court Backs Use of Epping Hotel for Asylum Seekers

Tensions in Epping rose over the summer after a Bell Hotel resident was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.
UK High Court Backs Use of Epping Hotel for Asylum Seekers
People demonstrating during an Abolish Asylum System slogan protest outside the Bell Hotel in Epping on Aug. 24, 2025. Gareth Fuller/PA
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The UK High Court ruled on Nov. 11 that a hotel in the English town of Epping can continue housing asylum seekers, despite months of protests that have fueled a national debate over illegal immigration.

The Bell Hotel in Epping, just northeast of London, has been used since early April to accommodate single male asylum seekers awaiting decisions on their claims from the Home Office.

Evgenia Filimianova
Evgenia Filimianova
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Evgenia Filimianova is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of international stories, with a particular interest in foreign policy, economy, and UK politics.