A contentious decision was made to accommodate 146 male asylum seekers in a luxurious hotel situated within a Cambridgeshire waterpark known for its past use for swimming and rowing. This move has resulted in a heated dispute, especially with claims emerging that many women are no longer at ease in the area.
The upscale Dragonfly Hotel, a four-star establishment situated in Thorpe Meadows, Peterborough, was swiftly designated to exclusively house the male migrants, with a mere 48-hour notice provided.
The stylish hotel looks out onto a 1,000-metre rowing course, regularly used by school children in the summer and spring.
The hotel is located next to a small bay along the scenic River Nene, a spot where local youths have traditionally congregated during the warmer seasons for swimming and sunbathing. Additionally, it is adjacent to the vast 2,500-acre Nene Park, a well-liked destination for outdoor pursuits and wildlife enthusiasts.
But residents say that the move to house so many men in this hub of outdoor activity has left many women and girls feeling they will be forced to abandon using the park.
Gay Marriot, 82, told MailOnline: ‘I know a lot of young women who are now concerned about doing sports around the River Nene and rowing area because there are a lot of single men sitting around.’
When MailOnline visited the Dragonfly Hotel this week we did indeed find dozens of asylum seekers sitting outside in small groups enjoying the warm early spring sunshine and watching the activities unfolding before them.
Ms Marriot added: ‘The worry for me is that you have more than 100 single male asylum seekers living in an area where there are young girls rowing or exercising in vests and shorts.
People are seen outside The Dragonfly Hotel in Thorpe Meadows, Peterborough, which is now being used to house asylum seekersÂ
People are seen outside of The Dragonfly Hotel which is now being used to house asylum seekersÂ
An aerial view of the Dragonfly Hotel in Thorpe Meadows in Peterborough
‘It wasn’t such an issue in the winter, but it is now. I’ve spoken to some of these asylum seekers, and I genuinely feel sorry for them but a lot of them come from cultures where they perhaps aren’t used to seeing a woman without her head covered.’
A small pontoon jutting out into the River Nene and a boat has already been removed by the local council after residents raised fears that having male and female youngsters swimming and sunbathing beside so many single men could be ‘problematic.’
Colin Webster, 74 a member of the Thorpe Gate Residents Association said: ‘The asylum seekers was already an issue for us but we did not see them around as much in the winter. But with the warm weather, my fear is that this is a disaster waiting to happen.
‘We are not right-wing extremists, the last thing we want is another Southport. But it is wrong to put 146 young single men so close to a public space which is going to be busy with young females in particular in the spring and summer months who may not be wearing very much.’
He added: ‘We were not consulted at all about the arrival of these asylum seekers, it literally happened overnight. The hotel suddenly closed, and our MPs and local council, have been useless. Nobody is listening to us about the dangers of this situation.’
The hotel also adjoins a luxury estate of 32 large, detached homes that cost anything up to £1 million each.
Wealthy residents fumed that they were caught by surprise when the asylum seekers were moved into the hotel overnight last November by the Home Office and that they were not consulted on the matter.
Kai Palmer, 23, manager of the Thorpe Meadows Café, which overlooks the rowing course, said asylum seekers regularly come in and they are ‘very polite’
Rowing boats are in front of The Dragonfly Hotel in CambridgeshireÂ
Pictured: The Boathouse pub which is located next to the Dragonfly Hotel
Gardener Glen Lofts, who works at a number of homes in the Thorpe Meadows area said he understands why a lot of his clients are not happy
They have spent the past few months arguing that it is an ‘inappropriate place’ for asylum seekers but claim their protests to the Home Office, the city council and Serco, the company running the hotel have all been ignored- as has a petition with thousands of signatures.
The Peterborough City Rowing Club is based at the course where two major regattas are due to take place this summer, attracting participants from all over the country.
Most of the asylum seekers in the hotel are from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Kuwait.
Ahmed, an asylum seeker from Kuwait said: ‘There’s nothing for us to do but it’s nice that we can see all these local people having fun. The winter was hard because it was so cold but at least we can sit out now.’
Kai Palmer, 23 manager of the Thorpe Meadows Café, which overlooks the rowing course said: ‘Some of the asylum seekers have come into our café. They’ve been very polite and not caused any problems. I can understand why some people are concerned because this is a very busy spot with young males and females during the spring and summer.
People are seen outside The Dragonfly Hotel which is now being used to house asylum seekersÂ
The ‘boardwalk’ that people used during the summer to sunbathe and swim from, with the Dragonfly Hotel behind trees
The Dragonfly Hotel (centre), with a bathing pool to the left of centre and houses and boat moorings below
The ‘boardwalk’ that people used during the summer to sunbathe and swim from
‘Nothing bad has happened yet so I don’t see the point of focusing on the negatives. The regattas will be very good for business and from what I know, they are still going ahead.’
But gardener Glen Lofts, who works at a number of homes in the Thorpe Meadows area said: ‘This is a very exclusive area, and I can understand why a lot of my clients aren’t happy.
‘We were all shocked when the hotel closed, and asylum seekers brought in. Now that the warm weather is here you see them out and about a lot more and it’s put off a lot of people, especially women, from going to the park to exercise.’
Janet, who was out walking her dog with her husband, admitted: ‘I’m not being unkind to the asylum seekers, but I don’t walk on my own anymore and a lot of other women in this area feel the same.
‘I’m just being cautious that’s all because having so many single men is of concern to us. I can’t imagine how much all of this is costing British taxpayers, but it doesn’t seem right to me.’
The Thorpe Meadows Residents were speaking as figures showed a total of 6,642 people crossed the Channel on small boats between 1 January to 30 March this year – a 43% increase on the same time last year, when the Conservatives were in power.
Kevin Platt, 75 a retired RAF officer said: ‘I’m disgusted that there was no consultation with residents about these asylum seekers. Women in this area are reluctant to go running or walking alone around the lake and it’s had a negative impact on our lives.
Pictured: The Dragonfly Hotel, with the Rowing Course above
Pictured:Â All branding of the Dragonfly Hotel has been removed
Washing is seen hanging outside of a bedroom window at The Dragonfly HotelÂ
‘Keir Starmer is talking a lot about illegal migration but doing very little. We are not racists, this is not nimbyism, but this is completely the wrong place for them.’
The Dragonfly hotel contains 70 en-suite bedrooms, which before its closure in November cost between £60 to £125 per night.
Prior to the arrival of the asylum seekers, the hotel boasted: ‘Sit by the fire in our Lake View Restaurant and bar and enjoy the views of the International Rowing course and the River Nene. Sample the traditional and varied menu and bar service.’
The hotel is owned by brothers Harry and Suki Dulai who run the Surya Hotels group and are worth an estimated £55 million. Their company has an annual turnover of £200 million and operates 13 hotels across the UK.
Surya Hotels group, the Home Office and Peterborough City Council have all been contacted for comment.
