Scrapped asylum seeker venue in Wales reopens as hotel after protests
The Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli was due to house around 200 asylum seekers but the plans were shelved in October after protests and concerns around community tensions.
Monday 3 June 2024 12:17, UK
A venue in Carmarthenshire which was due to house asylum seekers has reopened as a hotel.
The Home Office U-turned last year on its plan to house asylum seekers at Stradey Park Hotel after protests.
The venue in the town of Llanelli was due to house 207 people but the plans faced opposition from the local council due to concerns around escalating community tensions.
A former worker at the hotel told Sky News last June that staff were "in shock" after a redundancy announcement was made - although the Home Office insisted at the time it made no decisions about hotel staffing directly.
In a social media post, a spokesperson for the Stradey Park Hotel said they were "delighted" to announce the venue would be reopening today.
There had been significant local opposition to the plans to house asylum seekers there, with the leader of Carmarthenshire County Council saying he was "outraged" by the proposals.
Providing hotel accommodation is one method the UK government has used to house asylum seekers as the number of small boat crossings reaches record levels.
Both main parties have already pledged to "stop the boats" during the general election campaign.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The Conservatives say their flagship Rwanda plan would act as a deterrent to asylum seekers attempting to cross the Channel to come to the UK.
Labour, meanwhile, say they would establish a new Border Security Command to prosecute gangs operating small boat crossings.
Read more from Sky News:
Friends seen hugging before being swept away by flood
Celebrity antiques expert 'smashed to bits' in store raid
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
The Liberal Democrats say they want to provide safe and legal routes for refugees.
Plaid Cymru say they want migration policy to be devolved to Wales with the introduction of a "Welsh visa system".