EXCLUSIVE Villagers revolt over chaos brought to their leafy Windsor idyll by a hotel-turned-asylum hostel

Daily Mail​

6 days ago

Desperate villagers have vented their fury at an emergency meeting over 'chaos' brought to their leafy Windsor idyll by a hotel-turned-asylum hostel.
Almost 100 residents of upmarket Datchet, Berkshire, crammed into a village hall to demand the Manor Hotel be banned from taking taxpayers' cash to house migrants.
In a heated gathering attended by MailOnline, they insisted that the Manor should be transformed back into a venue for weddings, Christmas dinners and tourist parties.
One man stormed out after dubbing the hotel a 'cr*p hole' which had been run-down for years because the owners failed to spend money on repairs.
There were further spiky exchanges following claims that owners MH Hotels are advertising for regular guests again after an asylum contract with the Home Office ended.
Some residents urged their neighbours to give the company's bosses Sam and Mandip Gill their 'trust' and 'support' despite the years of controversy.
But angry opponents pointed out that the Gills had not attended the public meeting to explain their plans and had simply just 'taken the money and ran the hotel down'.
The summit arranged by Datchet Parish Council was the latest twist in a long-running saga sparked after asylum seekers were moved into the mock Tudor landmark.
Desperate villagers have vented their fury at an emergency meeting over 'chaos' brought to their leafy Windsor idyll in Berkshire by a hotel-turned-asylum hostel
Residents complained about groups of young, single migrant men hanging around the chocolate box village's green just five minutes' drive from Windsor Castle.
The Gills have also used the hotel as a homelessness hostel and the venue found itself at the centre of fears about crime, drug-taking and other anti-social behaviour.
Just last month, MailOnline revealed how the owners of £2million properties in the Berkshire village were now desperate to move - but were trapped because buyers showed no interest.
The last asylum seekers were moved out ahead of the Home Office deal running out on May 29, and neighbours say cleaners and decorators have been working inside the property.
It is understood that the Gills have completed the renovation of a number of rooms, launched a new website and advertised rooms on Booking.com.
The brothers are due to meet parish councillors later this week to discuss their plans and some residents told the public discussion they should be given the chance to restore the hotel to its former glory.
But one resident, who gave her name as Jackie, said: 'They ran the hotel down during the pandemic and then just took money. It is on them to win us back.
'They will only get us back on board by being honest and open and involving us - so that we trust them to run the hotel and put it back on the map.'
Another resident, a cab driver called Suzanne, said: 'I don't understand why the hotel can't be an ordinary hotel.
'We're five minutes from Windsor and there must be people who want a room.
'I don't understand why they have to go for the immigrants and the homeless when we have enough going on in Datchet. What is wrong? Why can't it be a hotel again. '
A man called Satish said before the residents trusted the owners, they should look for something more 'black and white' which would guarantee they honour their promises.
'My only point is that we need to have something more black and white to indicate that it is not going to happen again and we get asylum or homeless.
'The owners are commercial people and don't have any allegiance to the town so they might well pick a different contract tomorrow which is more beneficial to them.
'We need something from the council or the authorities which keeps things going in the direction we want them to go.'
Another male homeowner added: 'It's all very well looking forward but we also need to look at what's happened.
'We had unvetted, mostly men, living in a hotel just across from a school. Many parents I've spoken to privately were very concerned.
'We had people loitering in front of the school. so we need to acknowledge the mistakes that have been made and we need to know what we can do to prevent this happening again.
'Because I for one do not want unvetted people male or female living across from the school.
'We don't know who they are, where they come from or what their background is unfortunately not everyone comes from good places.
'We don't know what they have seen or done and that has an impact on how they behave.'
Alison Whelan, the parish council's communications officer, said: 'In the past, the Manor Hotel has been a community and business asset.
'It has operated as a public hotel, supporting tourism, events and local businesses.
'I provided local employment and boosted the high street economy just through being there.
'Over the last five years, we have had a restricted use and this has had an economic impact. We've experienced a decline as village centre and the High Street has become less than it was.'
Parish councillor Ian Thompson told the meeting: 'Previously, the Manor Hotel was a village hub, several groups had meeting at the hotel, plus business interfaces, events, Christmas dinners, wedding receptions.
'What was a thriving "wedding village economy" has now been destroyed either by closure or reduced income.'
The Mail reported in April this year how the accounts for MG Hotels, who were approached for comment, showed that shareholders' funds had soared from £309,000 in 2019 to £2.8million in 2024.