Peterborough MP issues new challenge to Great Northern Hotel owners over asylum seekers

A challenge has been thrown down to the managers of the Great Northern Hotel in Peterborough.

Peterborough MP Paul Bristow has called on the proprietors of the 170-year-old hotel in Station Approach to show commitment to the future of the city.

The call comes after the 41-bedroom hotel was given the green light to be used by the Home Office as a refuge for asylum seekers.

About 80 asylum seekers were moved into the hotel on November 11.

It sparked opposition from Mr Bristow and Peterborough City Council claiming the hotel was an unsuitable location to house asylum seekers as it is a flagship venue for the city and is close to vital infrastructure.

Mr Bristow said: “There are other hotels in Peterborough that have refused requests from the Home Office to be used for asylum seekers.

He said: “My challenge to the owners is to think carefully about how they want to be thought of in Peterborough.

“There are business owners in Peterborough who make long term decisions that will be of benefit to the city.”

Plans by the council to seek a court injunction to prevent the hotel being used as a refuge were dropped after other local authorities lost similar cases.

Instead, the city council has opted to use its planning powers to stop the change of use of the hotel.

A spokesperson said: “Our planning officers have recently visited the hotel and are in dialogue with the management.

“In light of the judgements for the Ipswich and Hull cases, we are now taking some time to collect information.

“This is in order to demonstrate a material change of use from a hotel to a hostel, and to fully evidence our concerns due to this breach of planning."

The hotel’s registered owner is Bodelson Finance, based at Tortola, the largest of the British Virgin Islands, in the Caribbean.

According to documents submitted to Companies House, the person with significant control of the Great Northern Hotel is Michael Chittenden.

A request for a response has been submitted.