The Fir Grove Hotel in Grappenhall closes to the public

Staff at the hotel were told on Wednesday the hotel would be closing to the public from today, Thursday, and many of them would lose their jobs.

Bookings are no longer being taken online and no reservations can be made via the phone either.

Its social media presence has also disappeared.

Conservative MP Andy Carter and Warrington Borough Council have expressed their disappointment over the move.

Mr Carter has written to the home secretary to object to the asylum seeker plan.

Some staff members who have spoken to the Warrington Guardian to say they knew nothing of the closure until this week.

At least one member of staff is known to have knocked on the homes of people living close to the hotel to tell them about the move earlier today, Thursday.

The hotel, based on Knutsford Old Road, has been a popular venue in Warrington for weddings, school proms, functions and Christmas parties for decades.

It now seems likely to be used as a centre for asylum seekers.

The Home Office spoke to Warrington Borough Council about the move earlier in the week.

Steven Broomhead, chief executive, said: “We are asking the Home Office to think again.

“We have other centres in the town and do not have the capacity for any more. This is not the right location for such a facility.”

The Paddington House off Manchester Road is used for a similar accommodation as is the Daresbury Park Hotel.

The Fir Grove in Grappenhall

The council is also feeling the strain on resources such as schools and healthcare from the Ukrainian relocation plan in the wake of the war and an influx in new residents from Hong Kong.

Andy Carter, MP for Warrington South, also spoke out against the move.

He said: "I am very disappointed that Home Office officials have failed to listen to feedback from myself and the borough council, the Fir Grove Hotel is not a suitable location and I’ve written to the Home Secretary to ask that she reviews this decision immediately.

“Warrington has welcomed families from Ukraine and Hong Kong in recent months which has put pressure on some of our local services, however I am really concerned that this is not an appropriate site for asylum seekers.” 

The Home Office said it could not comment on individual cases.

It is not known when any asylum seekers could move in.

But a Home Office spokesperson said: “The number of people arriving in the UK who seek asylum and require accommodation has reached record levels, placing unprecedented pressures on the asylum system.

“The Government is working with all local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland to provide more suitable accommodation for asylum seekers and to end the unacceptable use of hotels, with more than £21 million in grant funding already been provided to local authorities to help them respond to challenges in their area.”

All local authority areas in England, Scotland and Wales became an asylum dispersal area by default on April 13.

Local authorities will also receive £3,500 for each new accommodation bed dispersal accommodation in the 22/23 financial year (April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023).

The hotel was a member of the Best Western group.

A spokesman said: "“BWH Hotel Group (Best Western) are a membership organisation, all our hotels are independently owned and managed and operational decisions to close properties are taken by the hotel owners and management teams. We provide our member hotels with marketing, sales and revenue support only, for decisions taken by the hotel locally we would always advise contacting the hotel management team involved directly.”