Britannia update on future of Blackpool's iconic Metropole Hotel used to house asylum seekers
Metropole owners are working ‘behind the scenes’ on plans for hotel
A new announcement about Blackpool’s Metropole Hotel and the plans for its future is expected to be made soon, operators Britannia have intimated.
There has been much speculation about what is to happen to the landmark hotel following the exit of the asylum seekers who were living there between September 2021 and July 2026.
In August Britannia said it was “reviewing its options” about what was to be done with the hotel, the only one to be located on the the sea side of the promenade, following the migrants’ departure.
It was clear that the hotel was in no state to welcome paying guests and would need an extensive renovation.
However, although Britannia did receive funding to cover the time in which it was host to hundreds of asylum seekers, the Government made clear that there would be no further money to revamp it after they had left.
This week, Britannia said there was “a lot of planning and discussion taking place behind the scenes” but the hotel chain said it was not yet in a position to disclose details.
It was hoped that this would be possible in the near future.
A spokesman said previously: “We welcome constructive conversation regarding the future of The Metropole Hotel in Blackpool and fully understand the local interest in restoring this iconic hotel as a community asset.
“We are currently reviewing our options while giving due consideration to local perspectives, and we will share further updates with the community once a plan has been finalised.”
In August Anna Turley, the Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, visited Blackpool to formally announce that the Government was delivering on its pledge to end the use of asylum hotels for good – including the resort’s Metropole Hotel.
Mrs Turley praised the “gorgeous” hotel and said it could now return to bringing people to the town and adding to the heritage and the history of the area.
Blackpool South MP Chris Webb, who campaigned strongly to move the asylum seekers out to more appropriate accommodation, said at the time: “This is a big milestone, I pledged to get this hotel closed and brought back to the use of our tourism industry.
“The hotel now has been passed back from Serco to Britannia and we’ve been told they’re looking to refurb it and reopen it back to being a tourist hotel. It’s been a long campaign but one I’m delighted that we’ve succeeded.”we’ve succeeded in.”