Northamptonshire hotel closed for foreseeable future to provide temporary accommodation for Afghan refugees

A Northamptonshire hotel has closed for potentially the rest of the year to provide temporary accommodation for refugees from Afghanistan.

The hotel, which Chronicle & Echo has chosen not to identify in the interest of Government advice and safety reasons, is not taking bookings from members of the public for the foreseeable future.

Currently, online booking systems for the hotel are blocked out for the rest of the year.

The accommodation is part of the government’s Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme, whereby those who have fled the war torn country are provided with temporary accommodation until local authorities find them a home.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK has a proud history of protecting people in life-threatening situations and we are determined to help as many Afghans as possible through the Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme.

“The Home Office and the Ministry of Housing, Community and and Local Government (MHCLG) are working closely with local authorities across the UK to match the thousands of individuals currently in hotels, including our brave interpreters and their families, into accommodation.

“Those individuals have to remain in these hotels until the local authorities offer them appropriate accommodation.”

West and North Northamptonshire Councils confirmed last week that they had secured funding for the emergency accommodation of up to 140 refugees’ while their needs are assessed.