The Government has faced backlash after confirming the closure of an Oxfordshire hotel used to accommodate asylum seekers, with plans to move people into nearby military barracks instead. Critics have warned that the new proposal risks creating fresh problems for the local community.
Oxford Witney Hotel Closure Confirmed
The Home Office announced that the Oxford Witney Hotel, located in the market town of Witney, is no longer being used as asylum accommodation. It is one of 20 such hotels across the country to close under Labour's policy to reduce reliance on hotel use. Instead, ministers are planning to increase the use of former military sites to house thousands of asylum seekers, including a facility at Bicester.
Home Office figures show there were 124 asylum seekers living in the West Oxfordshire district as of June 30, 2025, with many believed to have been housed at the hotel, according to the Oxford Mail.
Political Criticism Mounts
Charlie Maynard, the Liberal Democrat MP for Witney, criticized the move, describing the Bicester proposal as a "lame attempt to copy Reform" and warning it was a "recipe for disaster." He said: "The government needs to be much more effective at controlling our borders and much faster at processing people who do arrive."
Mr Maynard added: "We should be taking a leaf out of Canada's book, which has various successful programmes, including enabling local communities to sponsor, help and integrate people more directly."
Reflecting on the closure of the Oxford Witney Hotel, he praised the response from local residents and organizations that had supported those staying there. "That includes schools, health centres, churches and many, many community groups who have done such a great job," he said.
Conservative Response
Oxfordshire Conservatives leader Liam Walker welcomed confirmation that the hotel had closed. He said: "This arrangement was never intended to be permanent, and many local residents have consistently raised concerns about the impact on the local community and the lack of consultation."
However, Mr Walker argued that relocating asylum seekers to former military sites and houses in multiple occupation would not resolve wider issues within the asylum system. He said: "The asylum system remains far too slow. The Government needs to get a grip of it by processing claims much more quickly, removing those with no right to remain, and ensuring local communities are properly consulted before accommodation is identified."
Labour's Defence
Duncan Enright, leader of the Labour and Co-operative Group on West Oxfordshire District Council, said he hoped the Oxford Witney Hotel could return to welcoming tourists. "Many jobs and businesses depend on our welcome visitors, and we are a fantastic holiday destination," he said.
He also thanked local residents who had supported people "fleeing injustice," while arguing hotel accommodation had never been the right long-term solution. Mr Enright said: "Those who qualify for asylum are now given leave to stay quicker, and those who don't are returned to their home countries quicker, as a result of action by this Labour Government in just two years. Labour has emptied half the hotels and will end their use. This is possible because of faster, fairer processing of asylum claims, and action to stop illegal entry, which has led to an 80 per cent drop in net migration."
