The gold rush created by Britain’s migrant crisis which has allowed hoteliers to profit to the tune of millions of pounds, could be set to end. The surge in the used of hotels under the Conservative government has seen hundreds of sites across the country repurposed as asylum accommodation in recent years.
But growing public anger, typified by demonstrations across the country, coupled with the government’s pledge to end the use of hotels, suggests that the days of profiting from the crisis are numbered. One such businessman to profit from housing migrants is Sheikh Abid Gulzar, a entrepreneur often referred to as “Goldfinger”, who has previously claimed to have pocketed £15,000 a week from housing migrants. Gulzar, with an estimated net worth of £5million, flaunts his wealth by driving in a gold Tesla and painting domes on the listed Eastbourne pier, which he owns, gold.
Gulzar displayed his wealth by driving a gold Tesla (Image: -)
Gulzar’s luxury retreat was used as a migrant hotel between 2022 and 2023, but the contract ended after an asylum seeker took his own life, the Telegraph reports.
The practise of allowing migrants to be housed in hotels has allowed bosses struggling to fill their sites to capitalise on the government’s desperation by guaranteeing full occupancy for extended periods of time.
One industry expert told the Telegraph: “Your revenue leakage would have suddenly dropped to a very low number because you didn’t have to provide breakfast every day, or any of the cleaning, the reception, the ancillary services, because it is covered in many cases by the Government’s outsourcing partners.
“For landlords, having the Government underwriting your income, even at a discount on room rates, would be an absolute win-win.”
The wealth of “Goldfinger” is dwarfed by others who have profited to the tune of millions from housing asylum seekers.
Graham King has become known as the migrant hotel “king” after soaring up the Sunday Times Rich List as his fortune rose to over £1 billion.
Police and protesters outside the Bell Hotel after a temporary injunction that would have blocked as (Image: PA)
King, 58, has climbed 87 places on the most recent fortune list after being ranked at 154 with a net worth of £1.015billion, up from £750 million the previous year.
His organisation, Clearsprings Ready Homes, has a turnover of £1.7billion turnover, with the company receiving almost £4.8million a day of taxpayers’ cash every day.
Anger over the use of hotels to house migrants reignited yesterday after the Government won a Court of Appeal challenge against an injunction which would have seen asylum seekers moved out of the Bell Hotel, Epping.
However, ministers are braced for further legal battles and ongoing protests over the use of hotels around the country, with protests and small-scale disorder breaking out outside the hotel last night following the ruling.
