Migrants housed at luxury West Sussex hotel blamed for causing problems for locals

The Home Office has placed a number of refugee families at the Cisswood House Hotel at Lower Beeding – originally built in 1928 as a home for the then chairman of luxury London store Harrods.

But locals say that the area is now plagued by noise and litter and that pressure has been placed on local schools by having extra children in the area. Some also say that the situation has led to a drop in house prices in the village.

The hotel – now with guards patrolling the area – closed to the public in January 2022 when its owners sought to place the business into voluntary liquidation following the pandemic. Asylum seekers and their families were moved in two years ago from Tower Hamlets in London.

The hotel had previously been a sought-after wedding venue for couples. And it was renowned for staging popular music night tribute acts.

In its heyday, the venue boasted 52 bedrooms – some with four-poster beds and whirlpool baths – a 45-seat restaurant, a health club, swimming pool and a beauty/hair salon, along with extensive outside grounds.

But villagers say the once luxury spa hotel is now a shell of its former self. They say the area is strewn with litter and there is excessive noise from children playing cricket in the hotel car park and that some of the migrants have been found trespassing.

However, others are sympathetic to the families’ plight, saying that they need a safe roof over their heads. And, they say, that many migrants were extremely apologetic when found trespassing on properties.

The Rev Sue Wharton, priest in charge of Holy Trinity Church in Lower Beeding, said that she had not heard any complaints of noise and litter being caused by the migrant families, many of whom had become committed members of the church congregation. “I have found them very helpful – that is the people I have come across.”

She said the families housed at the Cisswood House Hotel “don’t have it easy. It is mostly families there and, if you are a family, you are in one room.”

She added: “It is up to the Home Office to decide their fate. While they are with us we will be kind to them – that’s the feedback we get.”

A Home Office spokesman, when the families were first moved to Lower Beeding, said: “The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need it and we are committed to providing safe and secure accommodation while cases are considered.

“We have made clear to our providers that the use of hotels is only ever acceptable as a short-term contingency measure. The cost of using hotel accommodation to board asylum-seekers is borne by individual contractors who make such decisions, including which premises are used."