Picture courtesy of BBC | EPA/Shutterstock

 

Epping Forest District Council has hit another roadblock in its quest to prevent The Bell Hotel from sheltering asylum seekers. The Court of Appeal has denied the council’s request to take their case to the Supreme Court. This legal wrangling began after the High Court’s temporary injunction, which aimed to evict migrants from the hotel by 12 September, was overturned.

 

Demonstrations have rocked the hotel grounds for months, prompting Conservative council leader Chris Whitbread to urge protesters to ease off, citing the strain on the local community. The council insists the hotel owner, Somani Hotels, flouted planning laws by failing to inform them about the site’s new use.

 

However, the Court of Appeal dismissed the injunction following a legal victory for Somani Hotels and the Home Office.

 

While a full High Court hearing is slated for October to debate a permanent injunction, the council is contemplating a direct appeal to the Supreme Court—the nation’s highest legal authority—to revisit the temporary ruling. Mr. Whitbread expressed dissatisfaction with the Court's decision but maintained optimism about their chances in the upcoming October hearing.

 

Currently, 138 asylum seekers reside at The Bell, a situation inflamed by several disturbances and the arrest of numerous individuals near the site. The incidents have led to charges against multiple people, compounding tensions in the community. As children return to school, Mr. Whitbread calls on protesters to exhibit moderation, acknowledging the challenges faced by local residents, reported the BBC.

 

"I'm all for peaceful protest," Mr. Whitbread stated, recognising the unrest managed by Essex Police. However, he emphasised the need for demonstrators to act considerately, keeping their impact on residents and the local economy in mind. The call for restraint comes at a time when schools are reopening, with Mr. Whitbread urging a break for families and children.

 

The situation escalated after one of the hotel’s residents, Hadush Kebatu from Ethiopia, faced trial for multiple offences, including alleged sexual assault by a minor. Kebatu has denied the accusations, which has further complicated an already heated local situation.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-09-03

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Court of Appeal has denied the council’s request to take their case to the Supreme Court.

 

No surprise.

 

If the government can't use hotels to house migrants it would throw a massive spanner in the works of Labour's plans to overwhelm Britain with illegals over the next 4 years.

 

Labour need to shut this movement down before it becomes problematic to keep them in the lap of luxury at the taxpayers expense. They'd have to start throwing British citizens out of social housing to make room for them and that wouldn't be a good look. 

 

Lucky Starmer has the police/courts/judges in his tyrannical pocket. 

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

 

No surprise.

 

If the government can't use hotels to house migrants it would throw a massive spanner in the works of Labour's plans to overwhelm Britain with illegals over the next 4 years.

 

Labour need to shut this movement down before it becomes problematic to keep them in the lap of luxury at the taxpayers expense. They'd have to start throwing British citizens out of social housing to make room for them and that wouldn't be a good look. 

 

Lucky Starmer has the police/courts/judges in his tyrannical pocket. 

sure seems like you guys have problems with this Starmer guy. What a tyrant 

 

thank god we got trump 

 

hope you get farage man

12 hours ago, EastBayRay said:

sure seems like you guys have problems with this Starmer guy. What a tyrant 

 

thank god we got trump 

 

hope you get farage man

East Bay Ray, 'eh?  What part of East Bay, Ray?

7 hours ago, connda said:

 

They sent 5 armed policemen to the airport to arrest Father Ted writer Graham Linehan for an offensive tweet this week.

 

But 2 tier Keir is very proud of Britain's free speech laws. 😀

 

https://www.itv.com/news/2025-09-02/father-ted-writer-graham-linehan-claims-arrest-over-x-posts-on-trans-issues

The tyrannical government of the People's Socialist Republic of Airstrip One is under scrutiny by all of the major American political podcasters.

 

They struggle with the concept that Britons don't have first amendment protection, and that subjective hurty words are sufficient to put you into the gulag.

 

When your government arrests and imprisons you for expressing your opinion, it's game over - Britain has been slaved. 

 

21 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

No surprise.

 

If the government can't use hotels to house migrants it would throw a massive spanner in the works of Labour's plans to overwhelm Britain with illegals over the next 4 years.

 

Labour need to shut this movement down before it becomes problematic to keep them in the lap of luxury at the taxpayers expense. They'd have to start throwing British citizens out of social housing to make room for them and that wouldn't be a good look. 

 

Lucky Starmer has the police/courts/judges in his tyrannical pocket. 

 

3....2....1....enter casper

1 hour ago, Gsxrnz said:

When your government arrests and imprisons you for expressing your opinion, it's game over - Britain has been slaved. 

 

Exactly.

 

When 5 armed police arrest you on arrival, for a tweet, you know it's all gone terribly wrong.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-03/graham-linehan-arrested-transgender-posts-on-x/105728142

 

1 hour ago, blaze master said:

 

3....2....1....enter casper

 

Whatever floats your boat Bro. But leave me out of it. 

 

22 hours ago, EastBayRay said:

sure seems like you guys have problems with this Starmer guy. What a tyrant 

 

thank god we got trump 

 

hope you get farage man

Amen!!!

23 hours ago, EastBayRay said:

sure seems like you guys have problems with this Starmer guy. What a tyrant 

 

thank god we got trump 

 

hope you get farage man

have people never heard of the imigrants  who flew spitfires for you during the battle of britain ? if it it wasnt for them you would most probably  have to drink german beer now !!!

13 minutes ago, portisaacozzy said:

have people never heard of the imigrants  who flew spitfires for you during the battle of britain ? if it it wasnt for them you would most probably  have to drink german beer now !!!

 

 

They were 'legal' and didn't arrive in dingys.

 

Even Reform have nothing against LEGAL migration....the UK has certainly benefitted from legal migration but the country needs to halt illegal migration and also tighten up/refine current immigration rules. 

 

We are in Thailand and they are not a bad role model for putting their own citizens first and for dealing with 'aliens'.

1 hour ago, portisaacozzy said:

have people never heard of the imigrants  who flew spitfires for you during the battle of britain ? if it it wasnt for them you would most probably  have to drink german beer now !!!

illegal imigrants flew spitfires for America in the Battle of Britain?

 

news to me… 😄

It would see that the UK is not alone.

5 minutes ago, Tiger1980 said:

It would see that the UK is not alone.

Oh look, a social media post with flags and percentages.

8 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Oh look, a social media post with flags and percentages.

 

 

and....?

 

 

Didn't you understand it?

The rabid right wingers on here seem to forget it was the Conservative government who started using hotels as the standard option for housing illegal migrants. Labour would like to phase them out (but as usual, not achieving much). Illegal migrants are law breakers, and as such should be detained until their future status has been ascertained. Stick them in a tent behind barbed wire if need be. Always give them the option to return to there own country any time they want.

 

As for migration in general, illegals make up only 5% or less. The other 95% are also a problem when there are 500,000 or more (often a lot more) every year, UK is a densely populated country, Housing and providing the infrastructure (inadequately) for this expanding population IS degrading the quality of life for UK's existing inhabitants - soaring house prices and rents, increased pollution and degraded environment.

 

Yes, some migration is good. But the UK should go for zero population growth. Then the money used to provide more infrastructure could be spent on improving and maintaining what we already have.

 

GDP per capita has been stagnant  since 2007. GDP has grown - but only because we have more people. Growth only benefits the rich. For the rest of us, it has been 18 years of stagnation and decline.

2Tier Kier and his motley government need to go ASAP

They are ruining the UK

Illegal immigrants and Asylum seekers 😱 before British citizens

Is a disgrace 😤 

4 hours ago, portisaacozzy said:

have people never heard of the imigrants  who flew spitfires for you during the battle of britain ? if it it wasnt for them you would most probably  have to drink german beer now !!!

But were they illegal immigrants? 

The US needs to do what Britain is doing by housing the illegals in fancy hotels and letting tax payers pay for it. 

If that happened, the taxpayers would be begging Trump to throw them out as quickly as possible and by any means. 

 

I sympathize with the Brits having to tolerate a government that uses your tax money not to improve British lives, but instead to support those who entered into the country illegally. They seem to be living better than the Brits themselves. 

I also pity you all for losing your right to speak freely about Trans and illegals and other things you used to be able to speak about but now seem to be more important arresting you than going after hard criminals.