The Staycity Apartments Deptford Bridge in Lewisham has been closed by the government, marking its return to community use after serving as accommodation for asylum seekers. The hotel is among 13 sites nationwide that have ceased housing asylum seekers in the latest round of closures confirmed by the Home Office.
Closures and savings
The Lewisham hotel can now either revert to commercial use or be repurposed for a new community function. These closures are part of a broader programme, with 31 sites shut since April, leaving 160 hotels still in operation for asylum accommodation.
Immigration Minister Anna Turley stated: "For too long, communities in London have watched hotels at the centre of their boroughs become symbols of a broken asylum system. We are turning that around by ending the use of asylum hotels for good and moving people into larger, basic accommodation like former military sites."
Government strategy and costs
The government is now focusing on larger premises, including former Ministry of Defence (MoD) sites. The latest closures are projected to save taxpayers £51 million, bringing the total savings from this year's closures to £224 million.
Potential sites for housing asylum seekers include former military bases in Bicester in Oxfordshire, Barnham in Suffolk, and Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire, which could accommodate around 3,750 individuals.
Other closures across the country
Other hotels set to close include the Ramada Jarvis Hotel in Loughborough, Chimney House Hotel in Sandbach, Britannia Ashley Hotel in Hale, Gold Thorn Hotel in Wolverhampton, Grand Metropole Hotel in Blackpool, Nottingham Hotel in Nottingham, Grosvenor Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, Needham House in Hitchin, Holiday Inn Bridgwater, Holiday Inn Express Dunstable, Dubrovnik Hotel in Bradford, and Best Western Brook Hotel in Norwich.
