Exclusive: Taxis shuttle asylum seekers from hotels in Aberdeen and Westhill to student halls in Rosemount.

Some homeowners told The Press and Journal that they are glad the accommodations are being used while the government relocates migrants to’reduce costs’.

Asylum seekers who have been sleeping in hotels are being moved to empty student housing flats in Aberdeen. Taxis have been picking up migrants from hotels in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, and they were seen entering the historic Farmers Hall Lodge buildings in Rosemount today.

Drivers are claimed to have started taking former inhabitants of the Hampton by Hilton hotel in Westhill and the old Patio Hotel near Aberdeen Beach to the decommissioned student housing this morning.

People with suitcases and personal belongings were observed getting into taxis at the defunct beach hotel before groups arrived in Rosemount.

The Press and Journal visited Farmers Hall, where we witnessed numerous men and their belongings being taken into the facility by security personnel and police officers.

Guards were limiting public access to the halls’ parking lot, while police officers monitored the surrounding streets.

Some asylum seekers were seen roaming about nearby, and when approached, one stated that they had arrived from a nearby hotel. Others claimed that they did not speak English.

The halls have been vacant since at least the start of the school year, but they appear to have been given a new role, with the Home Office scrambling to cease the usage of “asylum hotels” across the UK. Don Street shelter in Old Aberdeen is also set to shelter asylum seekers.

‘We were not given any warning’

Rosemount locals told us that they only learnt about the change in use of the student halls after the rumour mill began to turn a few days ago.

We approached some dog walkers, got into a chat about the former student buildings, and watched taxi drivers arrive and go from Farmers Hall.

One told me she had not received “any notice” that asylum seekers would be placed at their door. She responded, “We’ve been watching cabs go in and out of Farmers Hall all morning.

“It’s terrible; we were never told of anything, not even a letter. “It would have been basic politeness to inform us that more than 100 individuals were arriving at your door.

“We don’t know yet how much trouble this will cause. Will there be protesters on our doorstep every weekend? We do not know.

“I can’t say I’m very happy about this at all.”

‘They are just normal people’

Worries about protests in the region heightened after a group of young people staged a protest outside the Farmers Hall Lodge last night.

Between 7 and 10 p.m. last night, 10-15 youngsters are thought to have staged a noisy demonstration with a loudhailer.

The disturbance prompted a significant police response. A young couple spoke the next morning, saying they were glad asylum seekers were staying there, but they were concerned that protests might become the norm in the neighbourhood.

She said, “To be honest, I’m pleased with it. It is preferable to the previous situation in which the space remained unfilled.

“For me, it is exactly the same as if individuals looking for a council house moved in. “They are ordinary people who require shelter and housing just like everyone else.

“I have no problem with it personally, but I am not looking forward to the expected protestors that will show there. “There was a lot of trouble with the police last night. I just hope this doesn’t become a regular occurrence.”

Change in use for student halls could ‘transform’ Rosemount street

Another resident, who has lived in Farmers Hall for over 20 years, expresses concern about the changes that the newcomers may bring.

Speaking at his doorstep, he stated, “We’ve been here for the better part of two decades. “I’m concerned about what an influx of more than 100 individuals would bring here.

“Of course everyone knows that they have to be housed somewhere, but I wish the residents already here could have been give more consideration.”

It comes as local MPs urged communities to welcome asylum seekers but expressed worries about the Home Office’s intentions to relocate refugees to student accommodation.

Row over move from hotels to student halls

Christian Allard, council co-leader, said the government should follow planning legislation.

He pointed out: “People will not very lightly take the Home Office not following, infringing, rules and regulations as anyone else would have to.” We contacted the Home Office to enquire why adjacent residents were not notified of a change in usage for the former student halls.

We did not receive any response. Yesterday, they informed us that certain sites, such as student housing, will be used instead of hotels to save money and “reduce impact on communities.”

A representative for the UK Home Office stated, “We have committed to closing all asylum hotels, and to do so, we will look at a variety of cheaper, more appropriate sites such as disused accommodation, industrial, and ex-military sites to reduce the impact on communities.”

“We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across-government so that we can accelerate delivery and more detail will be set out in due course.”

 

A spokesperson for the UK Home Office said: “We have committed to close all asylum hotels and to achieve this, we will look at a range of cheaper, more appropriate sites like disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so that we can reduce the impact on communities.

“We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across-government so that we can accelerate delivery and more detail will be set out in due course.”

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