A HOTEL has closed its doors to allow for temporary use as "bridging accommodation" for Afghan refugees, the Gazette understands.

Marks Tey Hotel, a Best Western hotel in London Road, has cancelled planned events and bookings as it closes its doors to the public.

It is understood the business is being used as a "bridging hotel" - temporary accommodation run by the Home Office since the evacuation of Afghanistan in August 2021.

Andrew Ellis, Colchester councillor for Marks Tey, said: "This is a Home Office decision, to assist refugees from Afghanistan who are waiting to be permanently housed. 

"This is bridging accomodation, effectively holding accommodation whilst they find them somewhere to live."

He added: "These are people from Afghanistan who helped us and I think we ought to be helping them." 

As of August this year, 9,667 people, around half of whom are children, were living in hotel accommodation, although this number changes frequently as new arrivals enter the UK and others are moved into permanent homes.

When approached by the Gazette, a spokesman for the hotel said: "We would like to advise that the hotel is temporarily being used for exclusive use and we are doing everything we can to help re-accommodate people impacted by the closure."

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A Colchester Council spokesman added: "We are continuing an ongoing dialogue with the Home Office to understand and agree details of the families we will be able to welcome to the borough, whilst continuing to work closely with Essex County Council and voluntary sector partners to understand their needs."

The Home Office called its own policy of using hotels to accommodate refugees "unacceptable".

A spokesman said: "The Home Office does not comment on operational arrangements for individual hotels.

"The use of hotels to house asylum seekers and as bridging accommodation is unacceptable and we are working with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation across the United Kingdom."

The Home Office said it continues to provide safe accommodation for "destitute asylum seekers", but added it is working to end the use of hotels, a policy which is "costing UK taxpayers almost £5million a day".

The department added: "Accommodation providers are responsible for identifying suitable temporary accommodation that can be used for this purpose and engage with local authorities around proposed use of sites.

"Local authorities are key partners in enabling us to procure sufficient accommodation to end the use of hotel contingency."