Fury Erupts as 150 Male Migrants Housed in Four-Star Hotel—Women Say They No Longer Feel Safe
What used to be a peaceful, much-loved local hangout in Cambridgeshire has become the centre of a heated row after a luxury hotel at a popular waterpark was suddenly turned into temporary housing for male asylum seekers — without so much as a warning to locals.
The Dragonfly Hotel, nestled by the scenic River Nene in Thorpe Meadows, Peterborough, is no ordinary place. Overlooking a 1,000-metre rowing lake and sitting next to the sprawling Nene Park, it’s been a favourite with young people in the warmer months — a go-to spot for sunbathing, swimming, and outdoor sports. But everything changed almost overnight, reported the Express.
With just 48 hours’ notice, the hotel was handed over in full to house 146 male asylum seekers, many from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, and Kuwait. And residents are furious. They say their concerns — particularly from local women and families — are being ignored by the Home Office and the company running the site, Serco.
Some feel the atmosphere around the river and park has shifted completely. Locals say the presence of so many single men in such a central and community-oriented area has made young women feel uncomfortable, particularly those using the rowing facilities or jogging nearby in sportswear.
“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,” said Gay Marriot, 82, speaking to MailOnline.
She added, “The worry for me is that you have more than 100 single male asylum seekers who are all unvetted living in an area where there are young girls rowing or exercising in vests and shorts. It wasn’t such an issue in the winter, but it is now.”
Although Gay says she genuinely sympathises with the asylum seekers, she fears the warmer weather might make the situation more tense: “Human nature being such, this could have consequences.” Colin Webster, 74, from the Thorpe Gate Residents Association, echoed her concerns, describing the move as a “disaster waiting to happen.”
“We were not consulted at all about the arrival of these asylum seekers,” he said. “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, which sits next to a high-end estate with homes worth up to £1 million, has now become a flashpoint for debate. A petition against the move gathered thousands of signatures, but residents say it’s fallen on deaf ears. Still, not everyone is up in arms. Kai Palmer, 23, who manages the Thorpe Meadows Café, said the asylum seekers he’s met have been polite and caused no trouble.
“They’ve been very polite and not caused any problems,” he told MailOnline. While acknowledging the concerns of local women, he added, “Nothing bad has happened yet, so I don’t see the point of focusing on the negatives.”
As summer approaches, all eyes will be on the Peterborough City Rowing Club and the upcoming regattas, which are expected to bring visitors from across the country. Locals hope that the events go ahead smoothly — but the unease surrounding the area’s sudden transformation isn’t likely to fade anytime soon.
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