Asylum seekers to stay at Exmouth hotel

A number of asylum seekers will arrive and stay at an Exmouth hotel "in the coming days", East Devon District Council has announced.

The Home Office has reportedly commissioned the hotel to act as short-term emergency accommodation for asylum seekers who are at the start of the asylum application process.

The district council said it "was not involved in or consulted on the decision".

Afghan refugees were also housed in an Exmouth hotel in September 2021.

Mayor of Exmouth Cllr Steve Gazzard said: "Exmouth extended an extremely warm welcome to our Afghan families in 2021 and I hope the community will once again help these asylum seekers to feel safe, respected and understood as members of our diverse community.

"The town council will be working with its partners to support the new arrivals and more details will be provided next week on ways in which you can potentially help."

A spokesperson for East Devon District Council said: "The Home Office is funding the accommodation and the security arrangements, and the council will consider how any support needs can best be facilitated, in collaboration with its partner organisations including Devon County Council and NHS Devon."

NHS Devon's Chief Medical Officer also said that local people could "continue to access health services as normal" as the NHS has "well-established processes" in place in the county.