Protests are scheduled for Sunday afternoon, raising concerns about potential tensions in the town of approximately 12,000 people.
Protesters against the asylum seekers being housed in the Brook Hotel (Image: Getty Images)
Asylum seekers have been relocated from a controversial Norwich hotel to residential properties in Watton, prompting local leaders to claim that their warnings were ignored. The move has ignited a political row, with councillors, the local MP and campaigners criticising the decision to transfer migrants from the Brook Hotel in Bowthorpe, around 20 miles away, to houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) in Watton.
Protests are scheduled for Sunday afternoon, raising concerns about potential tensions in the town of approximately 12,000 people. Sam Chapman-Allen, Conservative leader of Breckland Council, described Watton as “ill-suited” to accommodate asylum seekers, noting it is the district’s smallest market town with limited facilities. He said he had raised concerns with the Home Office prior to the relocation and reiterated them during meetings on Thursday and Friday – the days immediately following the migrants’ arrival.
George Freeman, Tory MP for Mid-Norfolk (Image: Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)
Mr Chapman-Allen told the Eastern Daily Press: “We have said from the start about Watton not being a suitable location. We are deeply disappointed that those warnings have been ignored. I fully understand why many local people will feel frustrated and concerned.”
He added that officials believed the Home Office had not listened to or heeded the council’s concerns.
The asylum seekers, believed to be the final group from the Brook Hotel, were transported to Watton in minibuses and taxis on Wednesday afternoon.
They are understood to have been placed in at least two HMOs on different residential streets roughly a mile apart, with around four in one property and seven in the other.
Protesters outside the Brook Hotel last August (Image: Getty Images)
The Brook Hotel has been the site of regular protests and counter-protests, placing significant strain on police resources. The government has sought to end the use of asylum hotels nationwide to cut taxpayer costs and reduce community tensions.
However, relocating individuals into residential areas risks creating new flashpoints, critics argue.
George Freeman, the Conservative MP for Mid-Norfolk, acknowledged local anger but stopped short of supporting demonstrations.
He said: “I don’t think local demonstrations help and I worry they risk stirring up more anger and pressure on our already stretched local police, which helps no one.”
He criticised the Home Office for what he called “contemptuously ignoring” local councils, public services, and elected representatives, saying it undermined public trust in the immigration and asylum system.
Tina Kiddell, a Reform UK councillor for Watton, has encouraged residents to “protest through words” by writing to Mr Freeman rather than taking to the streets.
Jack White, newly elected as Watton’s county councillor for Reform, said he understood why “emotions are running high”. He pointed to “years of failed national policies and decisions made far away from towns like Watton, often without proper local input”.
Organisers of Sunday’s protest, planned for Chaston Place on Watton High Street at 2pm, include campaigners previously involved at the Brook Hotel. They have emphasised that the demonstration will be peaceful, though police are monitoring the situation.
The relocation highlights ongoing challenges in managing asylum accommodation as the government attempts to move away from hotel use. Local leaders fear that without greater consultation, small towns could face repeated strains on housing, services and community cohesion.