The Roundhouse Hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset, will stop housing asylum seekers by October, a development announced by Bournemouth West Labour MP Jessica Toale. This closure is part of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's commitment to shut down all 200 migrant hotels across the UK by 2029, a process referred to as a 'dispersal' scheme. The hotel, which has been a focal point for protests, will be relocated to military sites.
The Roundhouse Hotel is one of three asylum accommodation bases in Bournemouth, collectively housing hundreds of individuals. While the Britannia Hotel and the Chine Hotel will continue to operate, they are also slated for closure by 2029. Home Office data from December 31 of the previous year indicated that 477 people were housed across these three hotels.
Concerns have been raised regarding the hotel's occupancy, with several incidents contributing to local tensions. In March, two migrants, identified as Mohammed Dawood and Alsayid Abdul-Khalik, were jailed for operating a county lines drug network from a room at the Roundhouse. They were found to be in possession of illegal substances and cash, and messages on their phones indicated drug dealing activities. Dawood, who had a prior conviction for drug possession, was also involved in a stabbing incident in January 2024. Both men received prison sentences.
In the past year, at least 11 asylum seekers residing at the Roundhouse and the adjacent Britannia Hotel were convicted of various crimes, including a stabbing and a rape. The 102-room Roundhouse Hotel has frequently been the site of protests, with anti-immigration and anti-racism campaigners clashing outside its premises. Residents have voiced concerns about an perceived deterioration in the town, citing an increase in crime and teenage gangs.
MP Jessica Toale welcomed the closure of the Roundhouse, stating it was an important step forward and that she would work with the community and landlord to repurpose the site. She attributed the decision to a reduced demand for asylum accommodation, citing a decrease in Channel crossings. The government's strategy involves utilizing military sites for housing asylum seekers where necessary, rather than placing them in community housing.
Currently, approximately 21,000 asylum seekers are accommodated in 170 taxpayer-funded hotels across the UK. This number has fallen from a peak of around 56,000 in the previous year. In Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole specifically, the number of asylum seekers in hotels has decreased by nearly 45% in less than a year. Between 2018 and 2026, official figures indicate that around 197,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats.