The Best Western Quality Hotel on Trinity Street in Hanley has closed its doors to asylum seekers after the Government terminated its contract. The closure marks a significant shift in how Stoke-on-Trent accommodates vulnerable people seeking asylum, with numbers in the city dropping by 25 per cent over the past 12 months.
Asylum seeker accommodation in Stoke has fallen from over 1,300 people to just over 1,000 in a year. At its peak, the hotel housed 280 residents since opening in November 2022. Serco, the Home Office contractor managing the relocations, has moved the vast majority of residents to other parts of the UK.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been pushing for the hotel closure for months, arguing that hotels are unsuitable for vulnerable asylum seekers. The Best Western closure follows the North Staffordshire hotel shutting in January 2024, marking the second major facility to cease housing asylum seekers in the region.
Councillor Duncan Walker said Stoke remains welcoming to asylum seekers but acknowledged the city had exceeded its capacity. "We will always stand by to do our bit," he stated, "but these figures needed reducing so we can manage resources and ensure community cohesion."
The Home Office is now shifting towards more sustainable accommodation options. For Stoke residents, the reduced numbers mean the council can better manage local resources and support services for both asylum seekers and host communities.