A CONTROVERSIAL asylum-seeking housing scheme at a Wickford hotel is being axed following community and political backlash.

The Chichester Hotel is currently home to asylum-seekers awaiting the outcomes on applications for residency.

Home Office plans for the scheme, first announced at the start of July, were met with anger after the hotel cancelled weddings, parties and large events to accommodate – with many customers allegedly still awaiting refunds.

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And now Immigration Minister Kevin Foster MP has pledged to axe the housing scheme at the end of the Home Office’s current three-month contract which expires at the end of October.

Echo: Campaigning MP - Mark FrancoisCampaigning MP - Mark Francois (Image: Office for Mark Francois)

Rayleigh and Wickford MP Mark Francois, who met with Mr Foster to discuss the issue, has welcomed the news.

“As the local MP, I have taken this issue seriously from the start, not least as many of my constituents were extremely concerned about it,” he said.

“I am obviously very pleased that Kevin Foster has now assured me, in writing, that The Chichester will be discontinued for this purpose, at the latest by the end of October."

Mr Francois has called for an HMRC investigation into the hotel.

In his letter, Mr Foster said the decision to axe the Chichester Hotel contract formed part of a wider move “to end the use of hotels as contingency accommodation” across the country.

The practice labelled a “short-term solution to the global migration crisis” by the Home Office earlier this year, cost the Government £4.7 million a day.

The policy has not just left the Treasury out of-pocket, with Chichester Hotel customers claiming they have yet to receive refunds for cancelled events.

Daniel Bing, 32, and Amy Oxborrow, 29, were due to get married at the hotel on August 6.

The couple spent to £5,000 on their big day, which was cancelled with one month’s notice.

Amy’s mother, Sylvie Oxborrow, said: “We still haven’t got the money back, in fact we have not even heard back from the hotel.

“Even if the hotel is going to stop housing asylum seekers I would never consider using it again for an event. I just cannot trust them anymore.”

The hotel owners have declined to comment when contacted by the Echo.