Hotel in Wolverhampton handed back as ministers press on with asylum reforms
The Gold Thorn Hotel in Wolverhampton has been permanently vacated and handed back to the local community as part of the Government’s drive to end the use of hotels to house people seeking asylum.
Ministers say the closure is one of a number of recent steps to move asylum occupants into larger, more basic facilities — including former Ministry of Defence sites — and to return buildings in town centres to their previous uses. The announcement follows several earlier hotel closures across the West Midlands and England.
Local authorities and business owners in Wolverhampton will now be able to consider whether the hotel resumes trading, is repurposed for other commercial activity or brought forward for a new community use. No decisions on its future use have been published as part of the Government statement.
"For too long, communities in the West Midlands have watched hotels at the centre of their towns and cities become symbols of a broken asylum system. We are turning that around by ending the use of asylum hotels for good and moving people into larger, basic accommodation like former military sites," said Immigration Minister Anna Turley.
Officials say the latest measures include the closure of a further 13 hotels and that, across recent months, more than 40 properties used for asylum accommodation nationwide have been released back into communities. Figures cited by the Government indicate there are now fewer than 160 hotels still being used to house asylum seekers.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Hotels closed in latest tranche | 13 |
| Hotels still in use (approx.) | Less than 160 |
| Estimated savings from latest closures | £51 million |
| Total expected savings this year | £224 million |
Among other closures referenced by the Home Office in recent months was the Britannia Hotel in Wolverhampton, which was reported to have been handed back in April. Other regional properties named as released or due to be returned include Dayz Away Lodge in Wall Heath and The Collection Hotel in Birmingham.
Shift towards military sites and larger centres
The Government has also confirmed discussions are underway to repurpose former military sites to provide longer-term accommodation for people seeking asylum. Planning applications are reportedly being prepared for MOD Bicester and MOD Barnham, while discussions are under way concerning MOD Linton-on-Ouse. Together, these three sites could eventually have the capacity to house thousands, according to the Home Office statement.
Separately, ministers are seeking to extend the use of some current military sites, with Crowborough being considered for use until 2030 and Wethersfield beyond 2027. The approach is framed by officials as part of a wider package intended to restore control of the border and reduce the pressure on hotels in town and city centres.
- Gold Thorn Hotel in Wolverhampton has been vacated and returned to the community.
- The Government says fewer than 160 hotels remain in use for asylum accommodation.
- Latest closures are estimated to save the taxpayer £51 million, with £224 million expected in savings this year.
Locally, the hand-back is likely to be welcomed by residents and businesses keen to see town-centre premises restored to commercial or community use. At the same time, campaigners and local authorities have in the past raised concerns about the impact on displaced people when accommodation is changed, particularly the consequences for continuity of support and access to services.
While the Government frames the move as part of an overhaul to the immigration system, it will be for Wolverhampton council, local partners and the hotel owner to determine the building’s next steps. The change also underlines the practical implications of national policy decisions for urban centres in the West Midlands, where provision of accommodation and local services must be managed in step with central government plans.
The full list of hotels in the recent closure round and details on how the Government intends to relocate occupants have not been published locally. Officials say the combined effect of closures and site repurposing will reduce reliance on hotels and lower costs to the public purse.
