A councillor has said that the hotel being used to house asylum seekers in the town would normally be closed at this time of year so it will have no impact on tourism beds in the town.

Louis Gardner, Cornwall councillor for Newquay Central and Pentire, said he had spoken to staff at the hotel and local police officers after it was revealed that a hotel in his ward - which has not been named publicly - is being used by the Home Office to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.

The Conservative councillor said that he had not been given prior warning that the hotel was going to be used by the Home Office but said that was because the hotel is part of a national chain and the deal to secure rooms for use had been done with the parent company.

He said that whilst he could understand that there might be concern about using a hotel for asylum seekers and said that he was seeking assurances that the arrangement would not continue into the tourism season.

Cllr Gardner said he was also asking for more information, particularly about where those housed in the hotel might go if their asylum applications are successful or their time in the hotel comes to an end. He said that as there is currently a housing crisis in Cornwall there would not be housing available.

However he said that Cornwall had always been a welcoming place and that he was sure that local people would want to ensure that any refugees coming to Cornwall were being looked after.

The councillor’s comments come after Steve Double, MP for St Austell and Newquay, said that he was also seeking assurances about the use of the hotel in Newquay. He said: “We all know that one of the biggest challenges facing our country at the moment is the number of migrants and asylum seekers coming to the UK.

“This was brought home to Cornwall over the weekend with confirmation that the Home Office is using a Newquay hotel to house a limited number of migrants and asylum seekers. This is a national issue and each part of our country must do its bit to help.

“Cornwall has a long and proud tradition of welcoming people seeking refuge, most recently with the commendable efforts made by our people and communities to help those displaced by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine via the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

“However, the move by the Home Office does raise a number of concerns. Over the last two days I have been in touch with Home Office Ministers, the Leader of Cornwall Council and local councillors, to ensure these people both get the support they need and that the Home Office takes steps to properly process them and take further action as required.

“Firstly, I have made it clear that we expect the Home Office to process applications as quickly as possible to ensure those who are genuine refugees get the support they need and are able to move on to the next stage of their lives in the UK. Equally it is important that the Home Office identify those who are not refugees and that these people are repatriated to their own countries.

“Secondly I have asked that resources be made available to Cornwall Council to ensure that while these additional people are living here, there is no impact on our already stretched local services.

“Thirdly I have asked for a commitment from the Home Office that no hotel will be used in this capacity beyond the end of winter so as to not impact on our important tourist season.

“I will continue to work with all involved to ensure that those who need our assistance get it in a prompt and timely manner while ensuring there is minimal impact on our local communities.”