Homeless encampment near Dorset migrant hotel prompts local backlash

A unauthorized encampment has sprouted on Bournemouth’s East Cliff, a coastal site just a short walk from a taxpayer-funded migrant hotel, drawing fierce local backlash and renewed scrutiny of the town’s approach to homelessness and asylum seekers.

The makeshift settlement sits in a clearing halfway up the cliff above a row of beach huts that cost about £2,000 a year to rent. The site includes a single tent, a picnic table and a parasol, and lies directly above the huts and public access to the beach. The encampment marks the second time this year that the same clearing has been used as a temporary camp, prompting further complaints from beach hut tenants who say the area has become unsightly and prone to litter and vermin.

Bournemouth, a Victorian coastal town that has grappled with rising petty crime and antisocial behaviour, is also contending with protests outside three hotels housing asylum seekers. Residents have accused authorities of prioritizing migrants over local homelessness aid, a sentiment amplified by the sight of the encampment within yards of the Britannia migrant hotel. The hotel has been a focal point for demonstrations over the summer, with opponents waving signs calling for the removal of asylum seekers and an end to what they describe as taxpayer-funded accommodation.

Local residents and beach hut tenants have voiced frustration as the council and police navigate a complex balance between providing shelter for those in need and protecting a town perceived as deteriorating after years of investment in tourism. One hut owner, Stuart Henderson, 52, who rents a beachfront unit nearby, said the encampment has damaged the area’s appeal: "We pay a lot of money for the beach hut but it is getting very unsavoury. I should be able to sit outside my beach hut without having to look at an eyesore. Visitors coming out of hotels will take one look and decide they won’t come here again. Who’s in there may be homeless, but we can afford to spend a fortune putting people up in a hotel just a few yards away for free, and we can’t sort out the homeless problem."

The Britannia hotel has been at the center of protests for months, with demonstrators outside chanting and holding placards. Several critics accuse local officials of stumbling over how to relieve homelessness while managing the optics of asylum housing nearby. In August, authorities disclosed that dozens of residents at Bournemouth’s migrant hotels faced criminal charges, including 91 at the Britannia and Roundhouse hotels and 25 at the Chine Hotel. The charges, which may be dropped or dismissed in court, have fed a broader narrative about disorder around the hotels and the town’s response to crime in the wake of the migrant housing program.

The encampment’s appearance has intensified calls for action from residents already unhappy with the town’s appearance and services. Deputy mayor Anne Filer, who has served as mayor twice since 1999, told reporters that Bournemouth’s state of repair matters deeply to both locals and visitors. She described a town where park benches were broken, graffiti was pervasive, and verges were overgrown, contributing to a view that the area had deteriorated since the lockdown period. "All I want is for the town to look clean and tidy again for both the locals and all the tourists who come here," she said. "There has been so much deterioration since lockdown as everyone's way of life changed."

Municipal officials have acknowledged the encampment and said it would be cleared as soon as it is feasible and safe to do so. Richard Herrett, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council’s portfolio holder for destination, leisure and commercial operations, said the site was being addressed through a multi-agency approach that would involve homelessness outreach from St Mungo’s and housing teams if necessary. He stressed that access to the cliff-top location was challenging, but the camp would be cleared in due course.

The council has emphasized a coordinated response, noting that occupants will be offered shelter through St Mungo’s if needed. In the meantime, local groups have stepped forward with their own safety initiatives. More than 200 volunteers have joined the Bournemouth Safeguard Force, a patrol network founded by a local businessman to safeguard vulnerable residents. The group has raised funds to equip volunteers with body cameras, stab vests and radios and has said it will operate in cooperation with the police, though Dorset Police has not formally endorsed the initiative. The Safeguard Force has said it will require DBS checks and first aid training, and it is developing a mobile SOS-style app to help people request assistance in public spaces. Critics contend the group’s formation risks politicizing the issue or targeting asylum seekers; supporters say the volunteers are focused on protecting women, children and the elderly.

Around town, residents describe a broader decline in the quality of life and the built environment. Graffiti is visible across benches and information signs, and the pleasure gardens appear worn. Local shops have pulled back from the High Street, contributing to a sense that investment has lagged while social tensions have grown. Some residents link the town’s challenges to the presence of the migrant hotels, while others argue that homelessness, crime and drug use require a more comprehensive, long-term strategy beyond protests or temporary encampments.

Authorities say they are addressing the situation with a multi-pronged strategy that includes outreach to those living in the encampment, engagement with the hotels and the broader community, and enforcement where appropriate. The plan, officials say, prioritizes humane treatment for those affected and safety for residents and visitors alike. Dorset Police continue to monitor the situation and work with the council and partner agencies as the encampment evolves, with officials noting that the Safeguard Force has not yet been officially endorsed by the force and that the situation remains under review.

As Bournemouth tries to balance compassion with public order, residents remain divided over what comes next. Some call for a long-term solution that addresses both homelessness and the perceived strain of asylum housing, while others urge a rapid clearance of the encampment and nearby sites. Officials have promised ongoing updates as they coordinate with housing services, social outreach groups, and law enforcement to restore the town’s image and safety for all residents and visitors.