Across the United Kingdom, several market towns and seaside resorts are grappling with significant social and economic tensions arising from the Home Office's extensive use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers. These concerns range from perceived increases in local crime rates and anti-social behaviour to adverse impacts on the local economy and public safety, frequently igniting public debate and protests.

The historic market town of Banbury recently found itself under national scrutiny following reports of a gang rape in a church graveyard. While initial rumours linked the incident to the town's migrant population, police swiftly issued a clarification, stating there was no evidence connecting the alleged crime to asylum seekers housed in local hotels. Despite this official statement and further clarification that investigators found no evidence the rape took place as reported, widespread local concern persists regarding the overall impact of migrant accommodation on the town. Central to these tensions is the Banbury House Hotel, a former Georgian coaching inn that once hosted tourists and local celebrations. Since its conversion into Home Office accommodation for asylum seekers in 2022, residents like Louise Moss, 34, report feeling unsafe, particularly at night, due to the arrival of large groups of unaccompanied men. Business owners, such as James Douglas, 44, of Henry’s of Banbury, have noted a significant drop in tourist footfall and sales, highlighting the economic repercussions of losing a key tourist hotel. Furthermore, local taxpayers express resentment over the cost of block-booking the hotel, with some, like pensioner Jacqueline McKenna, 75, questioning the prioritisation of asylum seekers over local needs such as support for pensioners or housing for families. The town also faces broader crime challenges, exemplified by a separate rape case in the nearby Victorian People’s Park and general concerns about drinking, shouting, and drug dealing in public spaces. Banbury, with 78 crimes reported per 1,000 people, is considered the most crime-hit town of its size in Oxfordshire, contributing to a wider fear of crime beyond migrant-specific concerns. Some other local hotels, like Whatley Hall and Lismore Hotel, have ceased housing migrants, reflecting a broader governmental pivot away from this accommodation strategy.

A similar scenario has unfolded in the seaside resort of Bournemouth, where the Britannia Hotel, housing an estimated 100 asylum seekers, has become a focal point of local fears and protests. Within a mere 10-day period, three migrants residing at the Britannia faced sentencing for separate violent crimes. Halil Dal, a 30-year-old Turkish migrant, received a suspended sentence for stabbing a man with a broken bottle, an incident he attributed to severe mental health issues stemming from trauma and persecution in Turkey. His sentence did not meet the threshold for automatic deportation, further fueling public debate. Shkar Jamal, 24, another Britannia resident, missed his sentencing hearing for threatening a man with a snooker cue, only to be found eating fish and chips nearby. Most notably, Kurdish migrant Hana Hassan, 22, was jailed for seven years as part of a 12-strong mob, all identified as illegal immigrants from Kurdistan who arrived via small boats, for a machete attack on a shopkeeper following a nightclub dispute. The judge in this case condemned the "ferocious and frighteningly violent attack," emphasising that such behaviour is not acceptable in the country. The scale of criminal activity linked to these accommodations is significant, with official figures revealing 116 charges brought against 51 asylum seekers residing in the Britannia, Roundhouse, and Chine Hotels in Bournemouth. Residents have expressed feeling unsafe, leading to protests outside the Britannia Hotel with signs bearing messages such as 'Illegal criminals out' and 'Stop the boats'.

The Home Office has acknowledged the rising discontent and the substantial costs associated with housing asylum seekers in hotels, stating a commitment to reduce the number of such facilities from over 400 in summer 2023 to fewer than 210, with a goal to close all by the end of the current Parliament. Efforts are also underway to increase the removal of foreign national offenders and to cancel the asylum claims of individuals convicted of sex offences through the new Border Security Bill. However, these incidents highlight a persistent challenge for the government in managing asylum accommodation while addressing legitimate local concerns about safety, economic impact, and the equitable allocation of public resources. Only a small minority, like a postal worker in Banbury, express a welcoming view towards the increased diversity, indicating a significant divide within affected communities.