Activists say asylum seekers are being given “inedible and horrible” food in hotels

Images emerged today of “inedible and horrible” food being offered to asylum seekers at two budget hotels.

The pictures, which showed dodgy-looking foods including burgers, chicken rolls and kebabs, were taken at two guest houses near Bristol that were seized by the Home Office.

An activist said people living there were reluctant to make complaints themselves and wanted to raise the issue on their behalf.

Between 100 and 150 men live in a hotel south of Bristol, with their wives and children in a second hotel nearby.

Residents are paid £8.24 a week to buy items such as clothes and toiletries and are not allowed to work or earn their own money.

The pictures, which showed dodgy-looking food including a chicken bun, were taken by asylum seekers who were staying at two hotels near Bristol

An activist said people living there were reluctant to make complaints themselves and wanted to raise the issue on their behalf

Do you have photos of the food on offer at the asylum hotels? E-mail [email protected]

A supporter said they wanted to share the pictures of the meal to give a glimpse of conditions at the hotels.

“This food is brought in every day, it comes boxed and it’s cold and they have to heat it up in a microwave in their room,” the source said.

“There is no other option and the most frustrating part is that the hotel has a kitchen but it is locked. They have no other way of getting food at all.

“Many say it’s quite inedible. They don’t want to complain about it, they have hope that they can get refugee status and start a new life in this country, but we want to complain about it on their behalf because it’s pretty appalling.

“They’re getting £8 a week to live on and that has to cover everything from toiletries to transport.

“These are very often people who have been traumatized, have fled wars or persecution and are now being held in an open prison where they are being punished with boredom, doing nothing and horrible food, with no means or tools to cook for themselves or to make things better for yourself.’

Between 100 and 150 men live in a hotel south of Bristol, with their wives and children in a second hotel nearby

There have been regular complaints about the standard of catering for asylum seekers in hotels across the country

Many of the asylum seekers in the two hotels have fled persecution in Iran, the Taliban’s seizure of power in Afghanistan, the civil war in Syria or war and hunger in East Africa.

“A lot of misinformation is being spread about how these people are living in some kind of luxury just because they’re staying in a hotel, but the reality is very different,” the source added.

“We just wanted to share the pictures they took of the food to show what it’s like every day.”

There have been regular complaints about the standard of catering for asylum seekers in hotels across the country.

Last year the Home Office defended its practice after GPs in Essex said children were not growing properly because of the poor quality and quantity of food they receive in the area.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Asylum seekers in hotels will receive three meals a day, plus a weekly allowance and additional provisions for families with a baby or young child.

A source said: “We just wanted to share the pictures they took of the food just to show what it’s like on a daily basis.”

A spokesman for the Home Office said: “Asylum seekers in hotels will receive three meals a day, as well as a weekly allowance and additional provisions for families with a baby or young child.”

“The food provided in the asylum hotels meets all NHS Eatwell standards and caters for all cultural and dietary requirements.

“Where a concern is raised about any aspect of the service provided at a hotel, we work with the provider to ensure those concerns are addressed, while asylum seekers have 24-hour access to a hotline to raise their concerns and formal complaints which are always followed up.’

Taxpayers are paying £5.6million a day to house asylum seekers in hotels due to a shortage of official accommodation.

Another 50 migrants arrived in Dover yesterday after making the treacherous journey in the early hours of the morning.

A total of 1,180 people crossed the Channel last month, with the busiest day being January 22, when 442 asylum seekers landed on British soil.

In comparison, around 1,339 made their way in the first month of 2022.

The source added: “The food provided in asylum hotels meets all NHS Eatwell standards and caters for all cultural and dietary requirements.”

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk