The Government has outraged locals after confirming an Oxfordshire hotel used to accommodate asylum seekers has closed, with critics warning plans to move people into nearby military barracks risk creating fresh problems.

The Home Office has announced the Oxford Witney Hotel , in the leafy market town of Whitney is no longer being used as asylum accommodation, making it one of 20 such hotels across the country to close.

Ministers are instead planning to increase the use of former military sites to house thousands of asylum seekers, including a facility at nearby Bicester.

Charlie Maynard, the Liberal Democrat MP for Witney, criticised the move, describing the Bicester proposal as a "lame attempt to copy Reform" and warning it was a "recipe for disaster".

He said: "The government needs to be much more effective at controlling our borders and much faster at processing people who do arrive."

Mr Maynard added: "We should be taking a leaf out of Canada's book, which has various successful programmes, including enabling local communities to sponsor, help and integrate people more directly."

Reflecting on the closure of the Oxford Witney Hotel, he praised the response from local residents and organisations that had supported those staying there.

"That includes schools, health centres, churches and many, many community groups who have done such a great job," he said.

Home Office figures show there were 124 asylum seekers living in the West Oxfordshire district as of June 30, 2025, with many believed to have been housed at the hotel, reports the Oxford Mail.

The site's use as asylum accommodation had proved controversial, drawing criticism from politicians across the political spectrum.

Oxfordshire Conservatives leader Liam Walker welcomed confirmation that the hotel had closed.

He said: "This arrangement was never intended to be permanent, and many local residents have consistently raised concerns about the impact on the local community and the lack of consultation."

However, Mr Walker argued relocating asylum seekers to former military sites and houses in multiple occupation would not resolve wider issues within the asylum system.

He said: "The asylum system remains far too slow. The Government needs to get a grip of it by processing claims much more quickly, removing those with no right to remain, and ensuring local communities are properly consulted before accommodation is identified."

Duncan Enright, leader of the Labour and Co-operative Group on West Oxfordshire District Council, said he hoped the Oxford Witney Hotel could return to welcoming tourists.

"Many jobs and businesses depend on our welcome visitors, and we are a fantastic holiday destination," he said.

He also thanked local residents who had supported people "fleeing injustice", while arguing hotel accommodation had never been the right long-term solution.

Mr Enright said: "Those who qualify for asylum are now given leave to stay quicker, and those who don't are returned to their home countries quicker, as a result of action by this Labour Government in just two years.

"Labour has emptied half the hotels and will end their use.

"This is possible because of faster, fairer processing of asylum claims, and action to stop illegal entry, which has led to an 80 per cent drop in net migration."