Official sources comment on rumours of housing asylum seekers at White Waters hotel

* The White Waters Country Hotel on the A5.

The local MP and the county council have commented on rumours that asylum seekers could be housed in Llangollen’s closed-down White Waters Country Hotel.

There has been speculation this week on social media that the UK Government might be planning to accommodate refugees in the former four-star hotel in Berwyn Street that closed in 2019.

One Facebook post suggested the building might soon be taking in “international visitors,” while another said: “Does anyone know about supposed plans for the White Waters Hotel in Llangollen regarding being used as accommodation for 'asylum seekers', please?”

It is understood that the Home Office would have to notify the local Member of Parliament well in advance if it had any plans to accommodate asylum seekers within their constituency.

But Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes said this week: “I have not been informed by the Home Office of any such proposal.”

The Home Office would also need to notify the local authority. However, a spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said:  “The council is not aware of any hotel in Denbighshire accommodating asylum seekers and we haven’t had any notification through official channels.”

White Waters, which stands of the main A5 and has a commanding view of the River Dee, has stood empty since closing down four years ago.

In 2021 it was on the market for £1.5m.

Also in 2021 an advert appeared on social media for a chef for what seemed to indicate a take-over by new owners but which came to nothing.