Hotel used to house asylum seekers set to reopen

A city centre hotel is set to reopen to the public after being used to house asylum seekers.

The Britannia Hotel, on Lichfield Street in Wolverhampton, shut in 2021 in order to provide emergency accommodation to individuals and families seeking asylum.

The hotel said that as the government begins to wind down its hotel occupancy programmes, the historic building has undergone a refurbishment of all 118 bedrooms and bathrooms.

"Wolverhampton is an important location for Britannia Hotels, and we look forward to welcoming guests back to the hotel when it reopens in November," said Prakash Sivarajan, director of Britannia Hotels Group.

In April it was reported that the number of hotels used to house asylum seekers had fallen, due to increased removals of people with no right to stay in the UK and housing others in alternative sites, such as military barracks.

As part of work to upgrade the 135-year-old Victorian property, the hotel's reception area and corridors have also been stripped and renovated, hotel managers added.

Sivarajan said: "We're pleased to be bringing the Britannia Hotel Wolverhampton back into use following a significant refurbishment of the property.

"We've invested across the hotel, from the bedrooms and bathrooms, through to reception and communal areas, to create a modern, comfortable and convenient base for visitors to the city."

Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.