Padworth hotel set for demolition is used to house homeless

The status of a hotel along a major road in West Berkshire has been clarified ahead of its eventual demolition, writes Local Democracy Reporter James Aldridge.

The former Comfort Hotel is situated along the A4 at Padworth.

It was acquired by the Flexistay serviced apartments company in 2018 and is currently being used as temporary accommodation on an ad hoc basis for people who are homeless.

The status of the hotel has been clarified after unfounded rumours that it has been used to house asylum seekers.

While Flexistay was previously used to house asylum seekers while their asylum applications were being processed, this use ended 20 months ago.

A spokesperson for West Berkshire Council said: “The Flexistay was used as a Home Office asylum hotel.

“However, the Home Office ceased using the site for this purpose in December 2023.

“Since early 2024, the hotel is being used on a spot purchase basis to accommodate West Berkshire Council homeless households.

“This is not under any specific contract provision with the council.”

The clarification comes as the Flexistay is set to be demolished and replaced with flats, with the site providing a total of 32 homes.

The owner, Reading West Development Ltd, is undertaking a phased redevelopment of the site, with ‘Block 1’ under construction to build a two-storey apartment block containing eight two-bed and two one-bed apartments.

The second phase will involve the demolition of the hotel building to be replaced with ‘Block 2’, which will be three storeys tall, containing 16 two-bed and six one-bed flats.

The council spokesperson said: “The council is not currently using any of the new flats which have recently been developed on the site.

“We understand that demolition and redevelopment of the hotel is not imminent due to financial pressures.”

The project to replace the Flexistay will provide 24 two-bedroom and eight one-bedroom flats once complete.

A plan for Block 1 was approved in September 2022, with the whole project encompassing Block 2 being approved last September.

The use of hotels in West Berkshire to house asylum seekers ended in December 2023.

The Best Western in Calcot was used as temporary housing for Afghans, but reopened as a hotel last September.

The Regency Park Hotel in Thatcham and the former Hilton DoubleTree Newbury near Chieveley Services were also previously used to house asylum seekers.

The council spokesperson said: “There are currently no Home Office asylum hotels in West Berkshire, with both sites (Regency and Flexistay) closing in December 2023, while the Government contract for Afghan provision in Calcot also ended in December 2023.”

Home Office data shows that no asylum seekers are being housed in hotels in West Berkshire, according to figures published last month.