Derby Restaurant Closes After 20 Years, Blames Asylum Hotel Impact

A Southampton restaurant has closed its doors after more than two decades, blaming ongoing problems linked to a neighbouring hotel used to house asylum seekers.

Ceno Restaurant, based on Highfield Lane in Portswood, said it had become “frustratingly impossible” to continue operating since Highfield House Hotel stopped serving the public and began accommodating asylum seekers on behalf of the Home Office.

The hotel has also been the focal point of repeated anti immigration protests, adding to tensions in the area.

In a statement, Ceno confirmed it closed on 1 January and plans to relocate and reopen in the spring. The restaurant said its decision was driven by concerns for staff and customer safety rather than finances.

“Ceno was a successful and thriving restaurant for many years, but the past five years have been especially challenging since the hotel stopped serving the public,” the statement said. “This has not been a financial decision but one made to ensure the wellbeing, safety and care of our staff and customers.”

The business cited ongoing damage linked to hotel residents and said customers had been unable to use the adjoining car park for months after it was locked, restricting access to the restaurant.

Managers also alleged that staff and diners had experienced abuse shouted from hotel windows and said repeated attempts to engage with the hotel’s owners had gone unanswered.

Police and campaign groups respond

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said its neighbourhood policing team had been in regular contact with businesses in the area and had visited Ceno almost weekly in recent months.

Officers said no issues had been formally raised and that they were not aware of any reports of criminal damage linked to the restaurant.

Campaign group Southampton Stand Up To Racism disputed claims that asylum seekers were to blame, arguing instead that protests outside the hotel had driven tension and reduced footfall.

“Police time and resources have been repeatedly diverted to manage alcohol fuelled protests that brought tension into a residential area,” a spokesperson said. “This environment has consequences. Footfall drops. People stay away. Businesses suffer.”

Home Office and political reaction

A Home Office spokesperson said the government was determined to end the use of hotels for asylum accommodation.

“We are furious at the level of illegal migration and asylum hotels,” the statement said. “This government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well under way to bring forward more suitable sites, ease pressure on communities and cut costs.”

Data from the Home Office shows that 36,273 asylum seekers were being housed in hotels at the end of September 2025, an increase of 13 percent compared with June.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to reduce reliance on hotels, while senior opposition figures have criticised the impact on local communities.

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Robert Jenrick said too many politicians were detached from the realities faced by residents living near asylum hotels, arguing that communities were only now beginning to grasp the scale of the challenge.

Local disappointment

Ceno Bar and Restaurant had built a strong reputation over its 20 year history, earning high ratings online and loyal local support. News of its closure prompted disappointment among residents.

One local resident, Debbie Kennett, said the restaurant’s fortunes declined after the hotel began housing asylum seekers, claiming she had witnessed abusive behaviour and repeated disturbances.

The restaurant’s spokesperson said that despite the difficulties of recent years, the team remained proud of what they had built.

“To our customers and the local residents of Highfield, we thank you for your support and wish you the very best,” the statement said.

Plans are now in place for Ceno to relocate and reopen later this year, although no new site has yet been announced.