Originally Posted by
skua
Expat, I was given to understand it was involuntary by the Leader of Suffolk Council.
Plenty of media entries, including statements by the owners / directors that the choice was theirs. The council did object and obtained an injunction which was subsequently overturned.
The owners of an Ipswich hotel have slammed a "draconian" injunction preventing them from accommodating more asylum seekers.
Fairview Hotels (Ipswich) Ltd, which owns the Novotel, has called on Ipswich Borough Council to resolve its concerns with the Government rather than imposing restrictions on the business after the Ipswich Star revealed the Greyfriars Road premises had 70 asylum seekers staying there. The emergency injunction granted by the High Court does not apply to the existing guests who have moved in, but bans any further arrivals and lasts until Monday (November 7) when there will be a further hearing.
Ipswich Borough Council has lost its bid for a High Court injunction to prevent a hotel from housing asylum seekers. More than 70 migrants are already being accommodated at the four-star Novotel hotel in Ipswich town centre.
In September Novotel Hotel submitted to Ipswich Borough Council a planning application asking for “extension to the existing hotel to provide an additional 57 guestrooms”. It said: “The board of Directors have made the decision to contract the hotel for the purpose of government use only. “This will affect jobs considerably so your role could be at risk of redundancy.”