The hotel will stop housing asylum seekers in 2026
Local representatives have said they welcome confirmation that an NI hotel will stop housing asylum seekers next year.
The Marine Court Hotel in Bangor has reportedly confirmed to local representatives that it will stop housing asylum seekers from the end of February 2026.
The news has been welcomed by North Down DUP MLA Stephen Dunne and Bangor East & Donaghadee Councillor James Cochrane saying they had raised concerns regarding the use of the hotel to the Ards and North Down Borough Council planning department.
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There has been a protest at the hotel every Friday for a number of years regarding asylum seekers staying there.
Stephen Dunne MLA said: “We welcome the news that the Marine Court Hotel is set to close to asylum seekers in the New Year. Councillor James Cochrane and I raised concerns with the Planning Department at Ards and North Down Borough Council to ensure that the Home Office and UK Government adhere to the same planning rules as everyone else. It is important that this prominent hotel is reopened as a facility for the whole community to enjoy once again.”
Councillor James Cochrane added: “The ongoing use of the Marine Court Hotel to house asylum seekers has been controversial and has had a negative impact on community relations. Earlier this summer, we raised concerns with Council regarding a potential planning breach related to this use. While this latest development is welcome, it remains vital that the open Planning Enforcement case is concluded to ensure the Home Office is held fully accountable.
“The UK Government must also ensure that those seeking asylum are not given preferential treatment in housing allocation. We will continue to press the UK Government to fix our broken immigration and asylum system and to ensure that public services and resources are allocated fairly.”
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