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Epping Forest: speaking to locals after the protests

  • Insight
  • 9 August 2025

Following weeks of protest in Epping Forest and other parts of the country, our latest research shows growing public opposition to the use of asylum hotels. However, it also finds that more than three quarters of Britons condemn violent protest at migrant accommodation.

However, it also finds that the public draws a firm line between protest and intimidation: more than three quarters of Britons condemn violent protest at migrant accommodation.

Meanwhile a focus group of residents of the Epping Forest told us that they were concerned about the use the Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers, and angry that the local residents had not been consulted, yet also felt "ashamed" and "petrified" that violent protests had taken over their small town.

Public opinion on asylum accomocation

The Epping protests took place in the context of a growing public opposition to asylum accomodation: since 2023, Britons are now twice as likely to “strongly oppose” asylum seekers being housed in their local area.

Fifty-four per cent of Britons now oppose the use of temporary to house asylum seekers in their area, an increase from 32 per cent in 2023.

Meanwhile, the proportion who ‘strongly oppose’ this has risen from 19 per cent to 40 per cent in the same time period.

In Epping Forest, residents spoke of their opposition to the Bell Hotel - a site in the middle of their community - being used to house asylum seekers. Core to their opposition was a sense that local the views of local people had been overlooked.

 

You've got absolutely no idea who's there (...) I mean to put 'em in hotels just seems crazy, especially in the middle of a community.

Julian, retired

I don't think they think about the communities and the people that live there. (...) So I do think there is a lot of concern from local residents and someone said maybe in Army Barracks or maybe somewhere where they can check people out first and maybe not just have so many people moving into one area at once might be a solution

Gabby, teacher

Asked why they oppose the use of temporary accommodation in their local area, Britons are most likely to cite the pressure on local services and the cost of hotels.

However, parents with children younger than 18 are most likely to cite the risk of sexual violence toward women and girls (45 per cent of parents select this as a reason).

Especially when you have children, you do worry about who is coming into the country, who's coming into the area and what they're all about.

Melissa, accounts manager

I think it's very natural if you are a mum, for you to feel a bit more anxious about who's in there.

Alicia, legal secretary

Despite their fears, residents in Epping were keen to stress that they had sympathy for asylum seekers, and that their opposition to the use of the Bell Hotel stemmed from a perceived lack of clarity, transparency, and agency over who was staying in their community.

Something in me feels like you have to be pretty desperate to want to get on a dinghy across the channel. So something about me feels very sorry for these people.

Erica, retired

it's not about being an immigrant, I'd say it's mainly being a man, but that's a whole different thing (…) no offence to men.

Sophie, conveyancer

Britons condemn violent protest

Britons support the right to protest peacefully against asylum accommodation, but draw a firm line at violence and intimidation.

Fifty-four per cent of the public believe that peaceful demonstrations outside of asylum hotels are justified - an increase of 7 percentage points since August of last year.

However, more than three quarters of Britons (77 per cent) say that it is unjustified to protest violently outside of asylum accommodation. Meanwhile barely a tenth (12 per cent) think that this is justified. Seven in ten also believe it is unjustified to block those working in refugee accomodation from getting into work.

In the focus group in Epping Forest, local residents described how they felt watching violent protests unfold in their town:

I felt quite ashamed to be British (...) The hatred in people's faces was quite upsetting.

Howard, retired

I drove straight into it half past 10 at night, and it was petrifying with all the riot police

Jo, NHS worker

When you start attacking the police, to be honest, you've lost the argument.

Julian, retired, Epping Forest

Additionally, many felt resentful that the situation facing their community had been used by influencers and political groups from across the country. There was a sense that media coverage had attracted people on the ‘extremes’ who had drowned out the voices of local people.

On the protests, there are a lot of extremes. Extreme left extreme right, some of them imported, some of them local. I mean people are turned up with cans of beer and it's like an afternoon out.

Julian, retired

I think to have that many people show up, there is a local feeling about it, but I think also it has gone wider than that. And you can see the social media influencers and stuff. If you look at live videos on YouTube when it's all going off, you can see there are other influences and people on the far right involved.

Jo, NHS worker

I think nowadays the media have got a hell of a lot to answer for because they wind people up, they talk half truths, they show clips that are going to bring out the wrong people.

Julian, retired

I just think it got completely out of hand and definitely did attract the wrong people. And it's not a true reflection of the local residents or definitely not all of them, that's for sure.

Alisha, legal secretary

Our polling explored how the public perceives the protests in Epping.

On the one hand, by a margin of 45 to 18 per cent, the public thinks that most of those protesting were wanted to do so peacefuly.

Yet on the other hand, many also feel that there was a far-right presence at the protests: half (50 per cent) say that at least 'some' of those attending the protests were on the far right.

Asked to describe in their own words what had caused the unrest in their town, Epping residents told More in Common that it was a buildup of resentment and ‘discontent’, and a broader feeling that locals had little control over what happened in their community.

To be putting asylum seekers within a community - and it is quite a small community - And with people's discontent, with whatever else is going on, that is the final straw for people.”

Erica, Retired

I would just say, I think in general a lot of the frustrations and the anger that is shown at these protests - which are definitely not warranted, especially towards the police - but I think it stems really from just a general lack of control when it comes to the government. When it comes to immigration. I think it's a subject that comes up time and time again. It doesn't matter which political party we vote for, nothing really changes. And I think there's just, in my opinion, a frustration at the lack of control or direction of where this is going to go. How is it going to improve? What changes are going to happen?

Alisha, legal secretary