Four-star hotel that was forced to house asylum seekers is ‘shut with immediate effect’

The hotel was set to house 240 asylum seekers, but was subject to widespread protests, with hundreds arriving outside the hotel to demand the proposal be scrapped.

It was one of the first hotels in the country to be earmarked for “asylum seekers” under Tory plans, laying the groundwork for their mass usage under Labour.

Protests against the decision spanned from May until the decision on October 10 2023, and the hotel was able to reopen shortly afterwards.

But many locals vowed to stay away from the hotel as a result of the controversy.

The hotel is now said to have shut down with immediate effect – and it is not possible to make reservations.

All dates on the calendar for the reservation system are mysteriously greyed out until next February, with a message reading “no arrival” flashing up if someone tries to select a date.

In 2023, attempts to prevent the housing of asylum seekers at Stradey Park failed and led to widespread condemnation from local councilors and politicians.

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Carmarthenshire Council leader Darren Price said after the Home Office decision: “I very much welcome the decision of the Home Office to withdraw its plans for the Stradey Park Hotel; it’s the right decision for the hotel and more importantly, it’s the right decision for the people of Furnace.”

Dame Nia Griffith, the MP for Llanelli, welcomed the decision at the time.

She said: “This debacle has seen the hollowing out of a key landmark hotel in the area with the loss of almost 100 jobs.

“It has created divisions within local communities and taken up valuable resources from our public services at a time when they were already stretched.

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“We now need to move forward and bring our town together once more.”

Protests outside the four-star hotel were largely peaceful – though a constant police presence eventually cost Dyfed-Powys Police more than £1million.

A fire was also set outside the hotel in October 2023, while fireworks were launched towards officers.

Hotel bosses laid off over 100 staff as part of the plans to re-purpose the building.

In late 2024, it was confirmed that Stradey Park had changed owners following the migrant controversy, with Ullcom Limited, based in Hounslow, acquiring a majority shareholding.

The CEO of Ullcom is Ahsan Ullah, the former deputy leader of George Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain.

But now, the hotel appears to be shuttered.

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One member of staff told WalesOnline the hotel had “ceased trading as of now”.

Ullcom’s 2026 confirmation statement is listed as overdue by Companies House, with a deadline of February 6.

And in another twist, on February 5, the hotel was announced as Llanelli-based Scarlets rugby team’s “official accommodation partner”.

The hotel, which had been previously owned by Sterling Woodrow Investments and Gryphon Leisure Limited, has not officially confirmed the closure.

Stradey Park Hotel and Scarlets Rugby Club have been reached for comment.