Epping council refused right to appeal decision to keep The Bell Hotel housing asylum seekers
Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) has failed in its bid to appeal the decision to allow the Home Office to continue to house asylum seekers at The Bell Hotel.
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The Court of Appeal has refused an application from the local authority for permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court over the controversial ruling which allowed the Government to continue to operate the asylum hotel.
The Bell Hotel has been the centre of several heated protests over the summer, after an asylum seeker being housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl last month. He has denied the charges.
The protests led one senior police officer to warn that Britain is facing "a climate of increasing tension and polarity", after figures revealed police forces across the country dealt with more than 3,000 demonstrations over three months this summer.
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EFDC had initially won an injunction to stop 138 asylum seekers from being housed at The Bell Hotel, but a Court of Appeal challenge by its owners last week was successful in allowing it to continue to operate.
EFDC insists "no reasons were given" following its unsuccessful application for permission to appeal the most recent judgment, with the council now open to ask the Supreme Court itself for the green light.
Councillor Chris Whitbread, leader of EFDC, said: "We believe the Court of Appeal decision to overturn the interim injunction for the closure of the Bell Hotel was wrong.
"However, this is not the end of the matter. We consider we have a strong case for a final injunction.
"The final injunction hearing is expected to be heard sometime in early October.
"In the meantime, the council is keeping all our options open, including seeking permission from the Supreme Court to appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal."
Mr Whitbread also urged protesters to act "considerately and calmly" should they continue with regular demonstrations as schools return.
He said: "As I walk through Epping people talk to me. There are all shades of opinion, but I sense most residents support our action to close the Bell Hotel.
"However, I also get a sense that they are tired and need some respite from the disturbances that have taken place in the last few weeks.
"I support the right of local people to peacefully protest. However, following further disturbances and arrests by Essex Police, I am approaching the other group leaders on Epping Forest District Council and other community leaders to jointly ask protesters to reflect on whether they continue with the twice-weekly local protests.
"If you choose to continue, it should be done considerately and calmly, with awareness of the impact on local residents and the local economy. The people of Epping are under great strain.
"As schools return this week, I appeal to the protest organisers to show restraint and give our families and children some much needed respite."
The announcement comes as figures from the National Police Chiefs' Council showed that there were 3,081 protests in June, July and August across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
This compares with 2,942 last summer, during a time of rioting, and 928 in 2023.
Recent months have been dominated by both mass protest action against the ban on Palestine Action, and demonstrations linked to the housing of asylum seekers in hotels.
Chairman of the NPCC Gavin Stephens warned that figures in leadership positions should make sure they avoid sowing division in what they say publicly.
"It's clear to all of us that we can see more community tension and more division. And I think we all have a responsibility, policing included, to set the tone," he said.
"I think we all want to live in places where we can be safe and where we feel safe, and I think everybody has a responsibility in that regard."
He added: "Anybody in a leadership position should think about how we can reduce and diffuse tensions and not sow division."