Council says hotel should be returned to visitor use after being vacated
Hull City Council has confirmed that the Royal Hotel on Ferensway is no longer being used to accommodate asylum seekers, after more than six years under Home Office management. The council leader described the news as a chance to restore a prominent city-centre building to its previous purpose and appearance.
The Home Office said the move forms part of its wider policy to close asylum hotels and relocate residents into alternative accommodation. Council leader Mike Ross welcomed the decision, saying the property had once been an important visitor hotel for the city and that it would be regrettable if it were not restored to that role.
"This was once a grand hotel used in the city for visitors for many years. It would be a shame if that wasn't able to be the case again for this hotel,"
Council officers confirmed to WE NEWS that everyone who had been housed at the Royal has been moved out, though details of the new accommodation and the timetable for relocation were described by the Home Office as part of its ongoing reforms. The authority has long pressed for the site to cease being used as long-stay asylum accommodation.
Local implications and council priorities
The Royal Hotel occupies a prominent site on Ferensway in the city centre. For residents and civic leaders, the end of its use as an asylum hotel raises questions about the building's immediate future and the potential for wider benefits to the local area should it be returned to the commercial hospitality market.
The council leader framed the change as a local victory for the city: that a building which hosted visitors for many years should once again fulfil that role. The authority has consistently argued that long-term use of city-centre hotels for asylum accommodation was not appropriate and has urged the Home Office to end the practice.
What the Home Office says
A Home Office spokesperson told WE NEWS: "The concerns of communities are central to our immigration reforms. That is why we are closing every asylum hotel and moving asylum seekers into alternative accommodation." The comment links the move at the Royal to a broader national policy of closing asylum hotels, rather than to a standalone local decision.
The council maintains it has pressed for the hotel to be taken out of Home Office use for a number of years. The leader described the decision as "a good moment for the city" and one the council had long campaigned for.
- Location: Royal Hotel, Ferensway, Hull city centre
- Previous use: Home Office asylum accommodation for more than six years
- Current status: Occupants have been moved out; hotel no longer used for asylum accommodation
| Property | Recent status |
|---|---|
| Royal Hotel, Ferensway | Vacated by Home Office; no longer used to house asylum seekers |
Local stakeholders including businesses, hoteliers and residents will now be watching for the next steps: whether the building will return to the hospitality sector, be sold, refurbished or put to another use. Any redevelopment would have implications for footfall in the city centre, employment and the appearance of a central thoroughfare close to the marina and cultural quarter.
While the Home Office statement frames the move as part of national immigration reform, the council’s immediate focus appears to be on the building's restoration and ensuring the site contributes positively to Hull’s regeneration. The council said it had made clear repeatedly to ministers and officials that it wanted the Royal removed from the list of asylum hotels.
For now, the building stands empty of its former occupants and the council has signalled a desire for a swift change of use that aligns with the city's long-term regeneration aims. Residents seeking further detail on potential plans for the property have been advised to monitor council communications and planning notices as any proposals are drawn up.
