Owners of the Carmarthenshire hotel which had been set to house more than 200 asylum seekers have called for a “blockade” formed by protesters outside the main entrance to end so they can ramp up plans to re-open what was a four-star venue. It’s now over a week since a much-criticised Home Office plan to house up to 242 asylum seekers at Stradey Park Hotel in the Furnace area of Llanelli was shelved.

The plan was first revealed back in May but following months of protests it was announced last Tuesday (October 10) that the whole proposal was off. However, almost 100 staff had by then left their jobs at the former spa hotel and the building's interior was unrecognisable after work had been carried out to transform its use.

After last week’s U-turn, the owners quickly announced that they wanted to re-open Stradey Park Hotel and asked people to “remove any obstacles from the entrance as soon as possible to allow access for our employees”. You can keep up to date with the latest Carmarthenshire news by signing up to the local newsletter here.

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Many locals in the Furnace area are unhappy with the owners for moving forward with the plans initially and playing a part in creating the uncertainty which has dominated the news agenda in Llanelli and further afield all summer. On Friday, the owners made a fresh plea for those protesters still maintaining a presence outside the venue - including those in a marquee erected in early summer to provide shelter - to leave.

In a statement, Stradey Park Hotel said: “Over the past three months, our entrance has consistently been obstructed by passionate protesters, identifiable by their “SOSPAN” shirts (Save Our Stradey Park and Neighbourhood). This movement was sparked by our initial consideration to repurpose the hotel for accommodating asylum seekers. Responding to your vocal concerns, the Home Office, along with Clearsprings (provider of accommodation to the Home Office) and Lead Element (a private security firm), have all decisively disengaged from any involvement with the hotel. We guarantee that such a proposal will never be revisited.

“However, as we earnestly endeavour to rebuild and breathe life back into Stradey Park Hotel, the blockade continues. We’re striving to understand the root of the continued protests. Is the issue still anchored in our past intentions, or has the narrative evolved? While we respect and appreciate every viewpoint, it’s essential to clarify that Stradey Park Hotel is not available for purchase.

"For the safety and wellbeing of our staff and visitors, we are currently employing our own security personnel, a necessary measure until the threat of violence and vandalism dissipates. We genuinely believe that progress and healing can only occur once the protesters have moved on. Our hope was to open our doors again before the end of the year, but the necessary renovations and preparations are impeded with obstacles and protesters at our doorstep.”

The hotel owners were adamant that they wanted to “rebuild trust” and restore the venue to its former glory, but remained confused over why a presence of protesters remained. The statement added: “If the boulders, marquees, and protesters remain, we can only deduce that the community does not wish for the hotel to re-open its doors. This stance would seem contradictory, especially when considering the essence of the SOSPAN message: Save Our Stradey Park and Neighbourhood.

"Our sincere hope is to rebuild trust and truly grasp the community’s perspective. At this crossroads, we face a stark choice: either breathe new life into Stradey Park as a flourishing hotel or, with heavy hearts, watch it become a mere shadow of its former self, boarded up and potentially forsaken for years to come. At the heart of everything, we are just a business endeavouring to survive. Like any other business, we are bound to make mistakes along the way. However, it’s essential that, at some point, we are granted the same opportunity as any other business in Llanelli: the chance to move forward and find our footing once again.”

As well as some protesters, there are also police officers still visible at the entrance to Stradey Park Hotel and in the immediate vicinity. Dyfed-Powys Police has confirmed that it has scaled back its presence, but that “officers remain at the site in proportionate numbers to facilitate peaceful protest and ensure community safety”. The force said it would continue to monitor the situation.

One major factor in the Home Office’s decision to reverse its plans was the fire service’s official declaration that the building was in fact unsuitable to be used for any kind of accommodation. That position remains unchanged at present. The Prohibition Notice served on the hotel earlier this month restricted sleeping at the premises.

The notice is not ‘time-bound’ and therefore will remain in place until the issues recorded have been rectified. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed this week that no further inspections of the hotel were currently scheduled, but a further inspection would be undertaken when it was advised that the deficiencies had been corrected.

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