England and UK flags flown across Essex town sandwiched between two asylum seeker hotels

A MARKET Town sandwiched between two hotels used to house asylum seekers has seen scores of England and British flags spring up between the two locations.

St George's Cross and Union Flags have been hung with zip ties from lamp posts for over a four mile stretch from Epping Forest in the west to North Weald, east of the town, where migrant families have been housed in the Epping Phoenix Hotel for the past three years.

The majority of flags are between the Bell Hotel, which houses single male migrants and the eastern end of Epping High Street.

Epping in Essex has been at the centre of protest action outside migrant hotels after a series of demonstrations started outside The Bell Hotel on the western side of the town last month.

It was after an asylum seeker who was housed at the hotel was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, sparking a series of further protests outside the same hotel and at others up and down the country.

A photo of a hooded man putting up one of the flags in Epping High Street was posted on Facebook on Friday.

It followed claims that some flags had earlier been removed after they were put up across the town on August 7 ahead of one of the Bell Hotel protests.

One man posted on Facebook: "I think the flags look fantastic, what's racist and unwelcoming about pride in the country you live in. "Personally I think the different flags of the UK should be flown in every UK town and village."

But, another added: "I’m phoning @EFDCChairman council to ask for removal. Unless it’s for an official event they should not be up. They make Epping look racist and inhospitable."

England and Union Flags have been appearing in towns and cities across the country with upset being caused after some councils opted to take them down.

There was tension in Tower Hamlets at the weekend when, at Marsh Wall on the Isle of Dogs, council workers spent several hours cutting down Union and St George flags from lamp posts.

The same council had allowed Palestinian flags to remain up after the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in 2023.

The Phoenix Hotel was used by Redbridge Council to house homeless people until June 2022, when it stopped, amid concerns it was an unsuitable location too far from shops and public transport.

Yet, the Home Office then began using it for migrant families.

It suffered damage from a blaze on March 28 this year, but is still being used to house families.

The Bell Hotel also suffered a blaze on April 5.

A man, 36, who was residing at The Bell, was subsequently charged with arson with intent to endanger life in connection with both fires and is awaiting trial.

Epping Forest District Council has applied to the High Court for an injunction to cease the use of The Bell Hotel for use by migrants, amid claims it is a breach of planning conditions.

Barristers for Somani Hotels, which runs the hotel, said the “draconian” move would cause “hardship” for those inside the hotel, and that “political views” were not grounds for an injunction to be granted.

Today, August 19 2025, Mr Justice Stephen Eyre granted the council a temporary injunction against the use of the hotel for asylum seekers, meaning its occupants have been given until September 12 to move out, but the owner has vowed to appeal.

An Epping Forest Council spokesman said: "The Council proudly flies the Union Jack outside the Civic Offices every day and recognises the importance of showing pride in our community and country.

"While we support flying the Union Jack and other flags, any flag or any other paraphernalia should not be placed on public property without permission. We will consistently and in an even-handed manner seek the removal of anything placed on public property without permission

"Public spaces such as pavements and streetlamps are managed by Essex County Council, not Epping Forest District Council. Complaints about flags on such infrastructure will be passed to Essex County Council.

"We ask everyone to follow the rules and help keep Epping Forest District the beautiful community we love to live and work in."