Chichester Park Hotel: Protests continue outside Chichester Park Hotel amid ongoing fears it will be used to house refugees

Protests and counter-protests continue outside the Chichester Park Hotel for the third week in a row.

Taking place on Saturday, October 7, the protests saw residents and locals rally against the use of the 81-bedroom hotel to accommodate refugees and asylum seekers, citing oversubscribed schools, roads, doctor’s surgeries and a neglected homeless population.

Facing off against them was a counter-protest made up of members of local unions, groups like Stand Up to Racism Portsmouth, and the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Labour Party, who believe Chichester should be a more welcoming place for refugees.

Saturday marked the third protest in as many weeks since a joint statement from Arun District Council and West Sussex County Council confirmed the Home Office was looking at a Chichester area hotel to house refugees.

An anti-refugee demonstrator outside the Chichester Park Hotel.

That statement came just days after it was revealed the Chichester Park Hotel would stop accepting bookings as of September 26, with future bookings cancelled, and the venue’s gym, swimming pool, bar and restaurant closed off to the public.

Although news of the plans prompted backlash from some residents, Saturday’s protest was well attended by those who believe refugees have a place in Chichester. Writing on the Stand Up To Racism Portsmouth Facebook page, counter-protestor Simon Magorian praised activists in Chichester for a 60-strong turnout, adding: “Our turnout was different this week, and not just larger, we had more representation from Unions. There were pennants there from Unite and Unison and teachers wearing the NEU(National Education Union) pro-refugee T-shirt. This is important in giving more social weight to the anti-racist movement in Chichester. More needs to be done but this is a huge step forward. It was also great to see the banner of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Labour Party.

“We were gay, straight, black and white, differently abled, men and women of all ages, and with a significant turnout from the Greens and environmental activists from Chichester.

"The nature of our protest was inclusive and was about solidarity with refugees and I think most people felt that it gave our protest a positive atmosphere.”

The statement comes after an online petition intended to stop the Park Hotel from being used as refugee accommodation and which had garnered more than 7,000 signatures, was removed.