To Erewash Borough Council, 

We, the undersigned, are calling for the immediate and permanent closure of the Best Western Hotel in Long Eaton. This is currently being used by the Home Office to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.

We call on Erewash Borough Council to challenge the Best Western Asylum Hotel, through the 1990 Town and Planning Act.  We have recently seen this Act successfully used by Epping Council to close the Bell Hotel. Epping Council successfully argued that the hotel was given planning permission to provide open access and short term accommodation for visitors, not closed access and long term stays (with no end date).  

As we still have 141 male asylum seekers in the Best Western in Long Eaton, we are calling on the council to adopt a similar approach. With over 50,000 people crossing the channel on small boats since July 2024, we need to protect Erewash from further asylum hotels being created.  

We also recognise that there is failure from successive governments on this issue but clearly 'no gangs are being smashed' and we've seen a 50% increase in small boat arrivals throughout the last year. Residents were never consulted and are understandably angry that those who have entered our country illegally have been given a three star hotel to stay in, three meals a day, access to a GP and a weekly allowance. Never mind the fact, we have no idea who these men are and there have been numerous allegations of sexual offences across the country.

In summary, we are calling on Erewash Borough to apply for an injunction to stop the Best Western Hotel being used as an asylum hotel.

Thank you, 

Cllr Paul Maginnis