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Residents and business owners near the Thistle City Barbican Hotel in Islington report escalating crime and antisocial behaviour tied to asylum seekers housed there since 2021, prompting calls for urgent action as local trade declines and community safety deteriorates.<\/p>\n
Residents and business owners near the Thistle City Barbican Hotel in Islington, London, which is reportedly being used to house asylum seekers under a government contract since 2021, have raised serious concerns over escalating crime and antisocial behaviour linked to the hotel\u2019s occupants. Over the past year, 41 migrants staying at the hotel have been charged with more than 90 offences, including rape, arson, sexual assault, affray, robbery, knife crime, drug-related offences, and attacks on police officers. Incidents such as televisions and flaming mattresses being thrown from upper-floor windows have unsettled the local community and triggered police interventions.<\/p>\n
One local council worker, Ufuoma Odoh, recounted being woken by police after a television was hurled from the hotel, smashing the rear windscreen of his parked car. Despite a suspect being arrested after hotel management reported the missing television, police closed the case without charges due to insufficient witness evidence. Odoh paid \u00a3750 out of pocket to cover the damage, as the Home Office advised him to claim through insurance to avoid rate hikes. Such accounts underscore the community\u2019s frustration over the perceived lack of effective enforcement and support.<\/p>\n
Local businesses report a notable decline in trade and feel directly impacted by the hotel\u2019s current use. Bledar Qirjo, owner of the nearby Greek Grill Point, highlighted safety concerns and issues with migrants demanding food without paying. Another unnamed caf\u00e9 owner lamented a steep drop in customer numbers since the hotel transitioned to migrant accommodation, despite high operating costs such as \u00a330,000 annual rent. Residents echo these worries about personal security. Hospitality worker Skye Jones expressed discomfort walking near the hotel, while mothers Emma Andrews and Nikki Bulley described frequent encounters with erratic individuals, sometimes requiring police intervention. On one occasion timed with the King\u2019s Coronation, a lit mattress was reportedly thrown from a window, prompting the fire brigade to respond and residents to call for the hotel\u2019s closure.<\/p>\n
The Thistle City Barbican Hotel, a 460-room property owned by the Clermont Hotel Group, has a history as a three-star accommodation praised for its central location and amenities like an indoor swimming pool but criticised for cleanliness and upkeep. Guest reviews over the years have reflected mixed experiences, citing outdated furnishings, musty smells, and safety concerns in the surrounding area. Some have raised alarms about the safety of walking nearby at night, long before the hotel began housing asylum seekers under the government contract. Prior to 2021, the hotel was regarded as a functional yet slightly outdated establishment, with reports of cleanliness issues such as bed bugs that the management promised to address.<\/p>\n
The use of hotels like the Thistle City Barbican to accommodate migrants has fuelled tensions in other parts of London and Essex as well. Protests recently took place outside the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf, another location used for asylum seeker housing, amid rising public anger. In Epping, Essex, a man staying at the Bell Hotel was charged with sexually assaulting a schoolgirl, exacerbating community fears and prompting further calls for reassessment of current migrant accommodation policies.<\/p>\n
The Home Office and Clermont Hotel Group have been contacted for comment, but no official responses have been reported. Meanwhile, local residents and businesses continue to advocate for measures to restore safety and confidence in their neighbourhoods, highlighting the complex challenges arising from the government\u2019s reliance on hotels for housing asylum seekers.<\/p>\n