Call to restore asylum hotel to 'former glory'

A council leader says he wants a hotel used to house asylum seekers to be restored to "its former glory".

The Royal Hotel on Ferensway was used by the Home Office to house asylum seekers for more than six years, but Hull City Council confirmed on Tuesday that everyone had been moved out of the hotel.

"This was once a grand hotel used in the city for visitors for many years," council leader Mike Ross said. "It would be a shame if that wasn't able to be the case again for this hotel."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The concerns of communities are central to our immigration reforms. That is why we are closing every asylum hotel and moving asylum seekers into alternative accommodation."

Ross said: "For the council, it's always been clear that this was the wrong use of this building and unfortunately it's been under this use for a number of years now."

He added: "The council has been clear that it wanted the Home Office to cease the use of the hotel for this accommodation."

Ross said the Home Office's decision was "a good moment for the city and it's one that we've long called for".

The Home Office spokesperson said: "We are working to fairly house asylum seekers across the country, engaging with local authorities to reduce the impact on communities, and we have saved taxpayers over £1 billion on asylum support costs since the election."

The government said fewer than 160 hotels were still in use, down from 400 in 2023 which cost £9m a day.

It has pledged to stop the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by 2029 and said five military sites are either in use or being explored to house asylum seekers.

The Royal Hotel in Hull was attacked during a city centre riot in August 2024.

Ross said there was a "real difference in opinion" from people in the city about the hotel's future but added he would like to see it used again by people who visit the city.

"It's in a prime location right next to the station, the first hotel people would see as they come into the city," he said.

"If this can get back to its former glory then I think that would be good news for the city."

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