THE boss of a Winchester hotel that had been earmarked by the Home Office as a potential place to house asylum seekers has moved to reassure residents and customers that it will not be going ahead.  

The Home Office had held meetings about moving asylum seekers into the Winchester Royal Hotel in St Peter Street.  

It had hoped to take over the entire hotel, all 160 beds, and place people who have not been formally recognised as having a right to live in the country there on a nine-month basis while they go through the process of applying for right to remain in the UK. 

However Simon Hall, the managing director of Castlebridge Hospitality, which owns the hotel said that this would ‘categorically not be happening’ and he said that the Home Office had not contacted the business about its plans.  

Paperwork – seen by the Chronicle – shows that the Home Office had its sights on the hotel for as early as Friday, September 30, and that it had been in contact with Winchester City and Hampshire County Council and other agencies to prepare.  

Castlebridge Hospitality, the company which owns and runs the Winchester Royal, currently manages seven hotels, including the Holiday Inn Winchester, Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham, Holiday Inn Express Algeciras and Hotel Indigos in Chester, Stratford Upon Avon and Bath.  

READ MORE: Asylum seekers could be housed in Winchester Royal Hotel

Mr Hall said they had flat refused offers for similar schemes for the Holiday Inn Winchester and an offer for the Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham.  

He said that it was not something the hotel group would consider doing – despite rival hotels groups setting up similar deals across the country such as ones in Andover and Southsea.  

Mr Hall said they had not been contacted by the Home Office and that the news breaking had caused stress and upset to people with bookings.  

He said: “It is certainly not our intention to use the hotel for that purpose.  

“We were approached for the Holiday Inn Winchester but when we found out what the enquiry was for, asylum seekers, and that we would have to close the hotel, we said no thank you.  

“I can categorically say that we have not been in any discussions about the Winchester Royal Hotel. 

“The Winchester Royal Hotel will not be closing to take asylum seekers and it is very much business as usual. This won’t be going ahead.”  

The potential move had prompted concern from some members of the community including the previous hotel owner, Tony Smith, who owned the hotel from 1992 until 2002, who labelled it a ‘terrible idea.’  

Winchester MP Steve Brine said he felt it would ‘challenge some people deeply, as principle and reality collide’ and that it raised practical questions around the impact on local public services and city tourism.  

SEE MORE: Asylum seekers being housed in Andover hotel