Fury in UK market town as migrants move in after hotel stay - 'warnings ignored'

Fury in UK market town as migrants move in after hotel stay - 'warnings ignored'Protests are scheduled for Sunday afternoon, raising concerns about potential tensions in the town of approximately 12,000 people. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Ciaran McGrath, Senior News Reporter 10:35, Sat, May 16, 2026 Updated: 10:37, Sat, May 16, 2026 Protesters against the asylum seekers being housed in the Brook Hotel (Image: Getty Images)Asylum seekers have been relocated from a controversial Norwich hotel to residential properties in Watton, prompting local leaders to claim that their warnings were ignored. The move has ignited a political row, with councillors, the local MP and campaigners criticising the decision to transfer migrants from the Brook Hotel in Bowthorpe, around 20 miles away, to houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) in Watton. window.scriptsToLoad.push({url:'https://live.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=118222&vp_content=plembed3a6btjknzwqh&cbuster=%%CACHEBUSTER%%&playerApiId=v118222',triggeredBy:'tcfLoaded',delay:1500,containerId:'ovp-primis',title:"Primis player",beforeLoad:()=>{window.top.addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.playerApiId==="v118222"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}})},}) Protests are scheduled for Sunday afternoon, raising concerns about potential tensions in the town of approximately 12,000 people. Sam Chapman-Allen, Conservative leader of Breckland Council, described Watton as “ill-suited” to accommodate asylum seekers, noting it is the district’s smallest market town with limited facilities. He said he had raised concerns with the Home Office prior to the relocation and reiterated them during meetings on Thursday and Friday – the days immediately following the migrants’ arrival. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Get the day's biggest he...