Three hotels just minutes from one of Britain’s most popular beaches have been converted to house asylum seekers at the height of the summer holidays, sparking fears for Bournemouth’s £1.3 billion tourism industry and prompting furious reactions from holidaymakers who have paid premium prices for their seaside breaks.
A total of 304 rooms across the trio of hotels have been taken over by Home Office officials in the Dorset resort town, which typically welcomes approximately one million staying visitors annually. The move has triggered concerns about the impact on local tourism businesses during what should be their busiest and most profitable season.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from tourists who have invested substantial sums in their holidays. Stewart Brown, a 34-year-old PE teacher visiting the resort, expressed his unease about the situation after spending £1,200 on his family holiday. “It doesn’t sit nicely with me. We’ve spent about £1,200 to come here. Before I came down, my dad made me aware of the asylum hotels,” Brown told The Sun.
“I think if you were staying around there you might feel uneasy about it, especially if you have young children. I suppose if you start seeing reviews saying that the crime rate around this area is increasing, I think it would be blocking people coming into the area on holiday,” he added.
Susan Beacham, a 70-year-old great-grandmother visiting Bournemouth, voiced stronger objections to the policy. “I don’t think they should be in hotels like that, if they’ve come here illegally. That they’re on the seaside makes me cross. It makes me scared to walk around at night when we’ve paid so much to come somewhere nice,” she stated.
One of the hotels commandeered for asylum accommodation, a 79-room multi-storey complex located just yards from the beach, boasts luxury facilities including a swimming pool, jacuzzi and sauna. The conversion of such prime tourist accommodation has raised questions about resource allocation during peak holiday season.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philips launched a scathing attack on the government’s handling of the situation. “Bournemouth’s tourist trade is being put at risk by the Government. Labour promised to smash the gangs and end hotel use. Both promises lie in tatters and Bournemouth, along with the rest of the country, is paying the price for Labour’s massive failures,” he declared.
The controversy comes against a backdrop of rising crime concerns in Bournemouth, which has experienced an increase in murders, sexual assaults and stabbings in recent years. High-profile cases include the murder of Amie Gray on Bournemouth beach in May 2024, for which Nasen Saadi was jailed for life with a minimum term of 39 years, and the killing of 21-year-old Thomas Roberts outside a Subway shop in March 2022 by Afghan asylum seeker Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai, who received a life sentence with a 29-year minimum term.
These safety concerns have prompted the formation of a 200-strong volunteer group called The Safeguard Force, established to patrol the town and address violence and anti-social behaviour. The group, which includes security professionals, first aid workers and other concerned residents, plans to begin uniformed patrols on Monday, 11 August.
Gary Bartlett, founder of The Safeguard Force, explained the group’s mission: “We’re here to support our community and work alongside the police to make Dorset a safer place for everyone. Our volunteers will seek to protect the most vulnerable in our town, especially women, children and the elderly.”
Bartlett insisted the organisation is “not a vigilante group” but rather aims to “protect and reassure” residents and visitors. The group has stated that volunteers will undergo DBS checks and first aid training, and will operate in a “non-political and inclusive” manner.
Dorset Police Superintendent Pete Browning confirmed the force is aware of the group but clarified it has not been endorsed by police. While the group hadn’t engaged with us before launching, we have since reached out to them and had discussions about their plans, policies and process,” he stated, adding that police are “continuing to assess the information, risks and opportunities community groups can bring.
Bournemouth’s tourism sector represents a crucial component of the local economy, generating over £1.3 billion annually and supporting more than 14,500 jobs directly. The resort attracts approximately 11.2 million visitors per year, including 9.7 million leisure day visits and one million overnight stays.
The timing of the hotel conversions during peak summer season has particularly alarmed tourism industry representatives, who fear negative reviews and safety concerns could deter future visitors. The town’s reputation as one of Britain’s premier coastal destinations relies heavily on its accommodation offerings and perceived safety.
Pro-immigration group Stand Up To Racism has expressed concerns that The Safeguard Force could target asylum seekers, with a Bournemouth branch spokesman stating: “This is a vigilante group which seems to be targeting refugees and Muslim communities who they suggest are a threat to women and children. The presence of uniformed civilians acting on ideological motives risks fostering division and fear, rather than safety.”
A Government spokesman defended the administration’s record on asylum accommodation, stating: “From over 400 asylum hotels under the previous Government, there are now fewer than 210, and we want them all closed by the end of this Parliament.” This represents a reduction from the peak of 56,042 asylum seekers in hotel accommodation in September 2023 to 32,345 as of March 2025.
The spokesman’s figures indicate that whilst progress has been made in reducing hotel usage nationally, the impact on specific tourist destinations like Bournemouth during peak season remains a contentious issue. The government has pledged to end the use of hotels for asylum accommodation but has not provided a specific timeline for Bournemouth.
The controversy highlights the ongoing challenges facing Britain’s asylum system, with hotels costing taxpayers £8.3 million per day according to recent estimates. The National Audit Office has noted that hotel accommodation costs seven times more per person than other forms of housing, whilst also often providing inadequate living conditions.
For Bournemouth’s tourism industry, which has invested heavily in marketing campaigns and infrastructure improvements to attract visitors, the conversion of prime hotel stock during peak season represents a significant setback. Local businesses dependent on tourist spending face an uncertain remainder of the summer season as the controversy continues to generate negative headlines.
The situation in Bournemouth reflects broader tensions across Britain regarding asylum accommodation, with similar controversies erupting in other tourist destinations and communities. As the debate intensifies, the resort town finds itself at the centre of national discussions about immigration policy, community safety, and the economic impact of asylum accommodation decisions.
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This is a licensed photograph (uncropped):
- Bournemouth: Oceanarium – Description: Bournemouth: Oceanarium – geograph.org.uk – 670262.jpg, photograph by Chris Downer, taken on 27 January 2008 in Bournemouth next to the pier. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY‑SA 2.0)
