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.
Fury erupts in UK town amid migrant dinghy chaos – ‘It’s a disgrace!’
EXCLUSIVE: Protesters gathered in anticipation of the arrival of a vessell from France.
Protesters turned up opposing migrants in Gosport (Image: Adam Toms)
Protesters have slammed the authorities after an expected migrant boat never arrived at a UK town. Those who turned up in Gosport, Hampshire, to voice their opposition to the anticipated migrants said police presence was a “smokescreen”. Cops and hundreds of locals were present in Haslar Road before it was expected that a vessel carrying asylum seekers from France would be guided to the shore. Activist Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo, urged his supporters to head there.
But as darkness descended, police said this would not happen. It was believed the boat would be heading to Dover instead. Brett Leishman, 55, a taxi driver in Gosport, called the situation a “disgrace”, adding that all the confusion about where the boat was heading to and police presence was a planned “smokescreen”.
He said: “Ten days ago they knew this was happening. You don’t bring police down from London and have drones if you didn’t know this was happening. [Migrant boats] were just appearing; now it’s organised. I want to know what the agenda is with this.”
Police kept watch in Gosport (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
“They think it’s alright while I’m putting £40 a day of diesel in my taxi. I’m £120 a week worse off just on fuel. Anyone who’s fleeing their country […] I get it. But when you’ve got four, five 600 men pretending they’re 17 […] going around raping 80-year-old men and kids, something’s f***ing wrong.”
He added that sooner or later the child or grandchild of someone in today’s crowd will be raped. “You watch it kick off,” he said. “Especially a small town like this.”
Brett’s wife, Joanne Leishman, 59, a former barmaid, said: “I totally support it, everything they’re doing here.”
She added: “Without a doubt it’s been going for about a week. I still think they’re [the migrants] here personally.“
Dorrie Crabbe, 74, worked in education. She is concerned about the redevelopment of an immigration removal centre in Haslar, initially to open with 130 beds, with a controversial proposal to expand to a 600-bed capacity.
“It’s got to stop,” she said. “We can’t just carry on taking the numbers that are coming. Gosport is a small town, a peninsula. We’ve just been kept in the dark about what’s been going on.”
Her husband, Pete Crabbe, 75, a retired toolmaker, said: “The concern is that there is such a huge number when it really is very, very close to a housing estate. There are people of all different ages there. We don’t know who [the migrants are].”
The whole thing seems “underhand”, he added.
Tina Harrison, 59, lives in Portsmouth. She said: “I think it’s disgusting, the whole lot of it. Paying our taxpayers’ money to bring people here so they can get free housing, free medical care
Pete and Dorrie Crabbe watched on (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
“My son has got a £56,000 bill for tax and he says, ‘Why should I pay it when you have people coming over to this country getting free housing and free dental care?’ The Government are thieving b*******. They take, take, take, take and never give back to English people. They are giving them money; they send it all abroad.”
A woman, 60, a business manager from elsewhere in Hampshire, wanted to remain anonymous.
She said: “It’s about time people stood up.”
On police operation and conflicting boat landing reports, she added: “It’s all being done to confuse. I don’t trust anything they say anymore. Nothing. It’s all planned. You don’t pull up resources like this in five minutes. It’s a big insult to the tax-paying public.“
A woman, 61, also wanted to remain anonymous. She is originally from Glasgow but has lived in Gosport for 30-odd years.
She said: “I don’t believe it. I still think they’re coming in tonight, and I’m disappointed that not many people came in tonight from their own town.
“It’s our town; we live here.”
She added: “I’m a Catholic, I don’t believe that you can rape women and rape children […] They are demented.”
Tina Harrison is frustrated by the small boat arrivals (Image: Adam Toms)
The local added: “We are not prejudiced. Not at all. We’ve had enough, mate. Enough.”
A 62-year-old lorry driver, who lives in Portsmouth, also wanted to remain anonymous.