Asylum seekers to leave Dilkhusa Hotel in Ilfracombe

Around what's thought to be 130 asylum seekers, originally housed in the ill-fated Manston Immigration Centre in Kent, will soon be leaving the Grand Dilkhusa Hotel in Ilfracombe.

The news was announced by North Devon MP Selaine Saxby in a statement late yesterday.

When a plan to use the Dilkhusa Grand Hotel as accommodation for asylum seekers came to light in mid October North Devon Council (NDC) and Selaine Saxby MP quickly arranged a meeting with the Home Office.

NDC and the MP explained to a 'Home Office minister' that in their view Ilfracombe was unsuitable location, 'due to its remoteness and the likely impact of the loss of an operating hotel on the local economy'.

Both the MP and NDC were subsequently given assurances by the Home Office that they would not proceed with the Dilkhusa Grand Hotel plan.

Fast forward to Wednesday, November 2, when overnight between 55 and 130 asylum seekers were bussed in to the town and checked into the hotel. Neither NDC or Ms Saxby were told about the change of plan.

This apparent U-turn from the Home Office was branded 'absolutely disgraceful' by local councillor Paul Crabb and was condemned by the MP.

Now Ms Saxby has given an update on the current situation at the hotel: “I am very pleased to learn that the Dilkhusa Hotel in Ilfracombe is no longer to be used as an Asylum Contingency site. It will return to being used as a hotel in July after some maintenance work.

“In December 2022 the Prime Minister assured me and the country that the government would be moving asylum seekers out of hotels and into more appropriate and cost-effective venues like disused military bases as soon as possible.

“We should be proud of Ilfracombe, North Devon Council, the local medical community, the schools, the community groups and the Pickwell Foundation who have embraced and taken care of our temporary guests. I visited the Dilkhusa and met with some of the residents there and heard some of the harrowing stories and situations that many had fled.

“We have a duty to protect and help people when they are here, but also a duty to curb illegal immigration and stop the criminal empire of people smuggling through crossing the channel in small boats. Our International Aid budget should be used for helping other countries, supporting the people in need so that they can support and build up their own countries, not paying companies to house them in hospitality venues or where local people are already in need of affordable housing.

“I supported amendments in the legislation to ensure there are safe and legal routes for refugees. But we must stop the boats and the criminal gangs enabling illegal immigration. And when we do, despite the opposition benches who have no plan to tackle immigration, we will continue to be the charitable international neighbour that the United Kingdom has always been.”