Blackpool Council address Facebook rumours about asylum seekers and Norbreck Castle Hotel

The Council say there is no truth to claims shared anonymously on Facebook about plans to move asylum seekers from the Metropole Hotel to the Norbreck Castle Hotel this year.

The rumours surfaced on local Facebook pages last week, when an anonymous user claimed to have learned of the plans from “a reputable source”.

This unknown source said the plans were “fact, not gossip”, and the move would see those currently housed in the Metropole relocated to the 487-bedroom Norbreck. They said the move would likely take place in the next “couple of months”.

Around 220 asylum seekers were moved into The Metropole, part of the Britannia Hotels chain, in September 2021, with the Government initially planning to use the seafront hotel as temporary accommodation for a few months.

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Facebook rumours...

The anonymous source, posting on Facebook, said: “Okay heard something quite alarming over Christmas, from a reputable source, with regard to the Norbreck Castle.

“The people that are in the Metropole Hotel are being moved to Norbreck Castle, this is a fact not gossip! Maybe our local councillors need to be questioned as they know all about it!!”

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What the Council say...

The Gazette asked Blackpool Council whether they were aware of any such plans. This is what they said..

Cllr Lynn Williams, Blackpool Council Leader, said: “Contingency accommodation in the North West for Asylum Seekers is arranged by the Home Office through their local provider, SERCO.

“As we have a family contingency site here in Blackpool, we meet weekly with the Home Office and SERCO and can confirm that no discussions whatsoever have taken place about the use, now or in the future, of the Norbreck Castle site.”

What’s next for the Metropole...

The Metropole Hotel in Blackpool has been used to house asylum seekers since September 2021.

The arrangement has not been without controversy, with both Blackpool Council and resort MP Chris Webb sharing concerns over the use of the Metropole Hotel as asylum seeker accommodation.

In September last year, Mr Webb called for an end to the Metropole Hotel being used to house those seeking asylum in the UK. The MP for Blackpool South said he is not opposed to asylum seekers in the resort, but believes the Metropole Hotel is unsuitable as accommodation, and says Blackpool Council shares his concerns.

The MP said more fitting accommodation, of a type that is suitable for families, should be found, adding that the Metropole was originally only supposed to provide temporary accommodation for a few months.

He said: “I have had a crucial meeting with the asylum minister, Dame Angela Eagle MP DBE, to address the pressing concerns that Blackpool Council and I have regarding the accommodation of asylum-seeking families at the Metropole Hotel.

“Initially, the previous Conservative government assured us that the hotel would be used for only three months - an assurance that has long since evaporated now we’re passing its third year.

“With the new Labour government actively processing over 100,000 asylum seekers to clear the backlog and eliminate the use of hotels for temporary housing, it is imperative that we take decisive action.

“The Metropole Hotel and location are wholly inadequate for this purpose, and the minister [Dame Anglela] is now urgently reviewing the contract established by the previous government to ensure that we can terminate its use as quickly as possible.”

The Home Office has previously said the government's initial focus will be on vacating hotels which can be exited quickly, where it is likely to have the greatest impact on communities and where it is costing taxpayers most money.

Data suggests government spending on hotels for asylum seekers has reached as much as £8m a day.

The Home Office was approached for comment.