The Court of Appeal has set aside a temporary injunction that would have prevented asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex. The ruling allows the hotel to continue accommodating migrants while the legal challenge proceeds.
The original injunction, granted by a lower court, had blocked the Home Office from using the hotel for asylum accommodation. However, the Court of Appeal found that the temporary order was not justified and lifted it.
The council’s broader legal challenge against the use of the hotel for asylum seekers will still go to trial. The court emphasised that the decision to lift the injunction does not prejudge the outcome of the full case.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between local authorities and the Home Office over the use of hotels to house asylum seekers. The Bell Hotel has been a focal point for protests and legal disputes in recent months.
