Four-star, 86-room hotel closes suddenly 'to house migrants'

Weddings and Christmas parties have been cancelled as a four-star hotel suddenly closed to reportedly house migrants.

This comes after the Home Office has said small-boat migrants must be booked in three-star hotels at least as housing costs soar to £8million a day.

The Chichester Park Hotel on Madgwick Lane, Chichester, has announced it would close on Monday, September 25, and would be taken over by a third-party company to house long-term residents.

This sudden closure will see hundreds of events including weddings and Christmas parties cancelled on short notice.

Locals believe this is due to migrants moving into the 86-room hotel after two local councils released a joint statement saying that a hotel in the area might be used as contingency accommodation for asylum seekers, according to ITV.

A spokesperson said: 'West Sussex County Council and Chichester District Council have recently been advised by the Home Office that a hotel in the Chichester area is being considered for use as contingency accommodation for people seeking asylum.

'Decisions around use of hotels and placements for those seeking asylum are made by the Home Office. We are not involved in the decision-making process.'

Residents have launched a petition to stop the Home Office's plans for the Chichester Park Hotel, which has already gained nearly 4,000 signatures.

The Chichester Park Hotel, which also has a big swimming pool, previously hosted sessions by a Sussex coaching company, which has used the hotel for about 15 years and raised concerns over the hotel now being used for migrants.

'During Covid we were stuffed, and we were just starting to rebuild but now this has happened. We're trying to find somewhere, but it's impossible to get through to the decision-makers.

'I'm just getting stuck at reception,' Duncan Driver, the founder of DPD Coaching, told GB News.

The Chichester Park Hotel is the second-largest venue used by the company and Driver's employees regularly coach more than 100 people there.

Driver is now 'desperately' looking for a new swimming venue and added: 'This decision is going to have a devastating effect on the company, especially if we can't find anywhere else.'

First aid training by the British Red Cross usually happening at the Chichester Park Hotel was also cancelled and organisers are looking for a new venue.