Residents in Epping, Essex, are threatening a tax rebellion after the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court injunction to close the Bell Hotel, now being used to house asylum seekers. The ruling followed arguments from the Home Office that obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights outweighed local safety concerns.
The hotel became the center of controversy after an Ethiopian migrant housed there was accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. The incident sparked widespread protests, prompting the local council to seek legal intervention to shut the facility. But on Friday, the Court of Appeal sided with the government, declaring that housing asylum seekers took precedence over the objections of residents.
The decision has fueled anger across the town. Local mother Sarah White told the Daily Mail, “We are outraged by what happened in court. We feel very vulnerable. Our children return to school tomorrow. What is the point of paying our council tax if it is being directly used to fund a place which houses alleged sex attackers?” She added that young girls were being followed and that the situation created “huge worry and anxiety” for families.
Another resident, Sarah Corner, said, “We need to take a stand. Enough is enough. Our taxes are funding the hotel, the police and all the costs associated with it. That’s not what it should be for.” One local, who remained anonymous, vowed to stop paying entirely, even if it meant prison time.
The Epping Forest Council announced it may appeal to the UK Supreme Court, pledging to “fight on every front” until the Bell Hotel is closed. At least 19 other councils are preparing legal challenges, including all 12 under Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Party. Farage accused the government of “siding with illegal migrants over British mothers.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson confirmed Sunday that the government believes asylum rights supersede local frustration, deepening tensions between Westminster and communities across the country.
