What do people in Epping think of the town's migrant hotel?

Debbie Ellis (left) has been on some of the protests

For weeks now, there have been protests near the Bell Hotel in Epping, which houses single male asylum seekers.

So far this month they have largely been peaceful, but in July some descended into disorder. Riot police were on residential streets; helicopters were whirring over homes at night.

Twenty-eight people have been arrested, with police officers injured and vehicles damaged.

The protests started after an asylum seeker housed at the hotel was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. He is in custody awaiting further court hearings.

Epping, where Sir Winston Churchill was MP from 1924 to 1945, is at the end of London Underground's Central line.

Its bustling High Street has bakeries, hair salons, cafes and restaurants.

But on some of the protest days, it has been a ghost town - with many businesses shutting early.

One local councillor described Epping as the epicentre of Britain's anti-migrant protests.

What do locals make of it?

The Bell Hotel in Epping is being used to house single male asylum seekers

"They shouldn't be there. They should be gone.

"They are causing nothing but trouble in the town," said Debbie Ellis.

She was pushing her grandson in a pram on a warm mid-morning.

She said the asylum seekers should be "kept in a camp until they are processed" and suggested a military base like MDP Wethersfield in north Essex - where hundreds are currently being housed - would be better.

Ms Ellis welcomed the protests.

"I think it should be happening, I've been to a couple. If we don't stand up for our town no-one else is going to," she said.

"They shouldn't be left in a population where there's little kids running round, shops where they go shoplifting," she added.

There have been regular anti-asylum seeker protests in Epping since July

Several people alleged asylum seekers have been shoplifting.

One store manager who did not want to be named said stealing from their shop was an issue, but they had no idea if the culprits were asylum seekers or not.

They did not feel thefts were worse in Epping compared to other towns.

Reported crime up to June (the current figures) has remained broadly the same in Epping and Ongar over the past 18 months, with between 261 and 365 crimes reported a month.

The figure was slightly higher in some months in 2022-23 according to Essex Police's crime statistics.

'Haven't felt unsafe'

For Priyam Atter, out and about with her toddler, it was the protests she was concerned about.

"I've never had any issues with people who I can see are from that hotel.

"I certainly haven't felt unsafe by those people, but I certainly have felt unsafe by the riots that happened in this area.

"I think it is a stain on Epping."

Elsabe Coericius welcomes the asylum seekers

Elsabe Coericius was out shopping.

She said "if the hotel is the only place where they can stay they should be allowed".

She is a Quaker and said: "I believe in peaceful protest.

"I think everybody should be able to share their views and opinions."

Epping Forest District Council has been seeking an injunction against the owner of the Bell Hotel to stop it being used to house asylum seekers.

Ms Coericius described that move as "a disgrace".

Jan and Sara Russell have lived in Epping for decades and want to see the asylum seekers moved out

But others like Sara and Jan Russell, out for a brisk summer walk, supported the council's High Court action.

"I'm all for it. I've lived here for over 50 years now. We've never seen anything like this.

"It's not right, nobody likes it," said Jan Russell.

Sara Russell added: "It's about time these asylum seekers did just go.

"We are such a small town - we can't really afford to have that sort of people walking up and down the street."

She said she saw the asylum seekers "just dossing around" in the town.

They had not been involved in the protests, but they supported them.

Although, said Sara Russell, not "when people are coming off the Central line from the other side of London and are just pretending to be from the local area".

"There's a very small percentage of people who are protesters from Epping town," she added.

She said she had "nothing against the legal migrants" but when it came to those arriving by boat across the Channel, her answer was to "put them on Ascension island".

Social media 'drums drumming'

As she strolled past, another resident, Sue Rosso, heard what they were saying and disagreed.

"There is this major issue that we have in this country with lots of people coming to seek refuge.

"Fundamentally, the hotels, whilst not an ideal option is - as I see it - the only temporary option," she said.

On the shoplifting accusations, Ms Rosso said: "There's a lot of drums drumming on the social media and a lot of fake news.

"In my view those incidents are not true."

She said she felt the protests should be in Westminster, not Epping, as it was the government who was placing asylum seekers in the town.

There are strong views on the Bell Hotel in Epping and it appeared to be dividing opinion.

"It's turning neighbour against neighbour," Ms Rosso said.

"This was a community based town and I hope it will be that again in the future."