Asylum seekers at Reading hotel strike over 'horrible' food and hotel conditions

Reading Red Kitchen, a group supporting the refugees with food and other help claims the asylum seekers have “endured conditions like bed bugs, no clean water, exploitative staff, no nutritious food, no clothes and no toiletries”.

They say the asylum seekers have been given meals such as plain pasta and burnt hairy chicken giblets by Clearspring and the situation “reached breaking point” at the beginning of February, when they went on a two-day hunger strike.

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Around 40 asylum seekers are striking, the solidarity group say.

PICTURED: The group that calls itself Reading Red Kitchen

PICTURED: Message from an asylum seeker published by Reading Red Kitchen

Reading Red Kitchen said a new menu was offered but “the food was still horrible” and the refugees have since been eating one meal a day provided by the Reading Red Kitchen and refusing the food from Clearsprings.

The group says it has been supporting the asylum seekers with hot nutritious food, toiletries, warm clothes, baby items and more every single night for months “because Clearsprings do not”.

One of the refugees is diabetic and his GP is having to bring him food because of the limited offering from Clearsprings, they added.

Around 40 asylum seekers are striking, the solidarity group say.

A Home Office spokesman said: “These claims are false. We are meeting our legal obligations to provide safe and secure accommodation for all asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute.

“Asylum seekers at the hotel are provided with three nutritious meals per day from a menu that is regularly reviewed and drawn up in consultation with residents.

“Clean water and other drinks are readily available, children have access to education, and mothers with children are provided with nappies and other baby items including baby food, milk, and cots.

“The hotels caters to all asylum seekers’ basic needs, including providing toiletries, and migrants have access to medical care.

“We expect the highest standards from all of our providers, and there is a free helpline which asylum seekers can contact at any time if they have problems or need support.”

However, a Reading Borough Council (RBC) spokesman said the Home Office has arranged an urgent visit and committed to regular visits to determine if there are any health and welfare needs amongst the residents.

PICTURED: Food being provided by Reading Red Kitchen

Additionally, RBC said Clearsprings has committed to consult with residents about the food being served and the council’s Environmental Health team will visit the premises.

According to Reading Red Kitchen, the asylum seekers are demanding:

• Faster decisions on their status

• Access to education, from toddlers to teenagers

• Financial independence as the state is not providing nappies, travel to medical appointments, warm clothes and much more

• Nutritious food and clean water

• Dignified treatment from hotel staff

• Access to consistent medical care and toiletries

Reading East MP Matt Rodda has also raised concerns and said he would ask the Home Office for an urgent review of the situation.

PICTURED: Another message from an asylum seeker published by Reading Red Kitchen on Facebook

The Home Office said menu examples include:

Breakfast: A continental breakfast with bread and cereal

Lunch:

Dal Makhani with 2 Pita Breads/Chicken Burger with Chips/Chicken Salad Wrap with crisps

Children’s option: Mozeralla stick Fries with Chips/Chicken nuggets with chips /Baked beans and egg

Dinner:

Chickpeas in Very Mild Sauce with 3 Pita Breads/Aloo Kheema with 3 Pita Breads/Chicken wings with rice

Children’s menu:

Fishfingers and green peas/Vegetable Puree with rice and vegetables/Chicken wings with mash

PICTURED: Another message from a refugee published on the Reading Red Kitchen FB page

Testimonials from the asylum seekers

Reading Red Kitchen has published several testimonials from the asylum seekers, which you can see in the photos above.

One refugee who moved into the hotel last October sent a message to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) via the group.

They said: "I changed my room once because of bed bugs and many friends are having the same problems until now, and all facilities are full of insects.

"The food was more than 80 per cent plain rice and not healthily cooked, full of spices which caused many problems for old and young people.

PICTURED: An example of the food Reading Red Kitchen says Clearspring has been providing

"Our life is not organised. Even the letters sent from home office, we don’t receive them always because of disorganisation here in the hotel.

"The cleaning is only once a week and they only do the toilets. We don't have access to cleaning items, but we try to keep our rooms and facilities around us as clean as possible.

"One of the worst things about service here is that we are repressed too much by the staff."

Reading Red Kitchen has also criticised Reading Borough Council (RBC) for “doing nothing about it” and councillors for “claiming ignorance” of the issue.

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A spokesman for Reading Borough Council (RBC) responded: “The provision of adequate food, water and facilities for asylum seekers, and their general welfare, is the responsibility of the home office and its contractor Clearsprings.

“Any allegation of this kind is of course concerning however which is why, on being made aware of the allegation last Friday, the council moved quickly to contact the Home Office and its contractor, both of which confirmed they were completely unaware of anyone refusing food or liquid.

“The council followed this with a meeting with the Home Office, Clearsprings and partner agencies this week.

“We understand there is some disquiet about the amount of the time it has taken for asylum applications to be determined by the Home Office and the length of time people have been resident in the hotel.

“As a result of that meeting, the Home Office has arranged an urgent visit and committed to regular visits to determine if there are any health and welfare needs amongst the residents.

“Clearsprings has committed to consult with residents about the food being served. The council’s Environmental Health team will additionally visit the premises.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and will of course urgently refer any further reports to the Home Office and its contractor.”

The hotel was contacted for comment but did not respond before the story was published.