Housing refugees in Doncaster hotel could end as Government proposes to use ferries

The Danum Hotel in Doncaster city centre has been housing refugees from Afghanistan – mostly young women and children – since November 2021.

The Government is set to announce alternatives to hotel accommodation for migrants with ferries expected to be confirmed, although the location of the boats has not been confirmed.

Two military sites in England will also be confirmed, and the first migrants are expected to move in within weeks.

Sources say each site will house 1,500-2,000 migrants and will initially be used for new arrivals, rather than to rehouse people currently in hotels.

There are currently more than 51,000 people are being housed in 395 hotels across the UK, with the Danum in Doncaster being used to house young women and children, including a team of female footballers from Afghanistan.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has signalled the government wants to end the practice of housing migrants in hotels, which she says costs around £6m a day.

Former airbases in Lincolnshire and Essex are among sites being looked at.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We have always been upfront about the unprecedented pressure being placed on our asylum system, brought about by a significant increase in dangerous and illegal journeys into the country. We continue to work across government and with local authorities to identify a range of accommodation options.

"The government remains committed to engaging with local authorities and key stakeholders as part of this process."

The landmark hotel in Doncaster city centre was picked to house Afghanistan refugees in November 2021.

The High Street hotel has been closed since then and while it is understood that some refugees have settled into new homes in Doncaster, many are still looking for permanent accommodation months on from fleeing the terror in their home country.

It is understtood that a number of families in recent months have taken steps to secure their own accommodation.

The hotel, now officially called the Mercure Doncaster Centre Danum Hotel, said that its rooms had been booked on an ‘exclusive use contract’ but did not confirm who was behind the booking.

The Home Office took over a number of hotels across the country to house refugees and also to quarantine travellers under coronavirus restrictions

A number of weddings and family functions had to be cancelled as a result of the takeover.

Bosses announced that guests would not be able to book into the 200-year-old hotel for “some time.”

A spokesman for the hotel, owned by the Accor Group, said: “The hotel has recently been booked on an exclusive-use contract and will not be taking general bookings for a period of time.

"We are working individually with any guests affected by these short-term changes.”

Doncaster’s intake included a group of junior female footballers who dramatically escaped from the Taliban and who felt ‘newly born’ after arriving in the UK and relaunching their love for the game in Doncaster.

Players from the country’s women’s development team revealed how they faced beatings, death threats, bomb blasts and were scared for their futures after the murderous regime returned to power in the Middle Eastern state.

The women relaunched their football careers in the UK and, training at various locations across Doncaster.