The Court of Appeal has opened the door for a High Court order stopping the Bell Hotel in Epping from being used to house asylum seekers to be overturned, ruling in favour of the Home Office and the hotel’s owner.

Epping Forest District Council won an interim injunction last week, when Mr Justice Eyre found that Somani Hotels had “sidestepped public scrutiny and explanation” by accommodating asylum seekers without planning consent. He said “the strength of the claimant’s case is such that it weighs in favour” of granting the injunction.

But Lord Justice Bean, Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb ruled in favour of the Government on Friday, allowing the Home Office and the hotel’s owner to appeal for the order to be lifted.

Reading the decision, Mr Justice Bean said the Home

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