Three senior judges are expected to rule on Friday afternoon on whether to overturn a temporary injunction to block asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping.
Somani Hotels, which owns the Essex hotel, and the Home Office are seeking to challenge the High Court ruling that will stop 138 asylum seekers from being housed there beyond 12 September.
Dozens of other councils, including Labour-run authorities, have since announced plans to seek legal advice on the use of hotels to house asylum seekers, meaning todayâs ruling could have countrywide implications.
The interim ruling was granted to Epping council last week after the authority claimed that Somani Hotels had breached planning rules by using the Bell Hotel as accommodation for asylum seekers.
Protesters had been demonstrating outside the hotel for weeks after one of the inhabitants was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
At the end of a hearing on Thursday, Lord Justice Bean, sitting with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb, said that due to the âgreat urgency of the matterâ, they would hand down their judgment at 2pm on Friday. He added, however, that they reserved the right to extend the deadline.
Immediate closure of asylum hotels would be a disaster, says government
The immediate closure of asylum hotels could lead to migrants âliving destitute in the streetsâ, a Government minister said, as he warned against a âdisorderly dischargeâ.
The Labour government, led by the Home Office, are adamant that any ruling in favour of immediately banning the use of hotels to house asylum seekers could set a dangerous precedent, and that the ending of this practice should be done gradually, as planned.
Health minister Stephen Kinnock told Sky News: âWhat we donât want to have is a disorderly discharge from every hotel in the country, which would actually have far worse consequences than what we currently have, in terms of the impact that would have on asylum seekers potentially living destitute in the streets.â
Pressed on where the migrants would be moved to if The Bell Hotel in Epping were to close, Mr Kinnock said: âWeâve got a whole range of options â disused warehouses, disused office blocks, disused military barracks.â
But he added that efforts to find a solution would be much âmore effectiveâ if they are able to manage the closure of hotels slowly.
Tom Watling29 August 2025 09:16
Court of Appeal to rule on Epping asylum seeker injunction challenge
Read our piece below on all the latest on the Court of Appeal ruling due later today.
Tom Watling29 August 2025 09:10
Good morning
Good morning.
This afternoon, senior judges will rule on the High Court injunction granted to Epping Council to block asylum seekers from being housed in the Bell Hotel.
The result will have far-reaching implications for the country, with many councils seeking legal advice on whether to mount their own challenges against the use of hotels in their areas to house asylum seekers.
Weâll be bringing you updates as we head towards the ruling, expected at 2pm, and all the reaction thereafter.
Tom Watling29 August 2025 09:09
