Restaurateur says migrant hotel next door led to closure

A Southampton restaurateur has closed his 20-year restaurant, saying an adjoining hotel used to house asylum seekers led to a sharp fall in customers; local organisations and police gave contrasting accounts.

A restaurateur in Southampton has announced the permanent closure of his 20-year business, saying an adjoining hotel that now houses asylum seekers caused a sustained drop in customers. The owner, Jamie Darby, told media his turnover fell and that difficulties linked to the hotel made it impossible to continue trading. The closure has affected a small number of full-time and casual staff, and the restaurant's team said they plan to seek a new site to reopen in spring. Local groups, the Home Office and Hampshire Constabulary have provided different accounts of the situation. Key points: - Ceno restaurant closed on January 1, 2026 after 20 years; the owner attributes the decision to problems he says arose after Highfield House Hotel began being used to house up to about 100 migrants. - The owner reported a sharp decline in customers and said turnover halved in recent years; he also said some staff lost work and that access to a shared car park had been restricted. - A Home Office spokesperson said the government is working to close asylum hotels and identify alternative sites to ease pressure on communities. - Southampton Stand Up To Racism said far-right protests have caused disruption at the hotel site, while Hampshire Constabulary said officers had regular contact with the business, were not aware of criminal damage, and that no concerns were raised during recent visits. Summary: The closure ends two decades of trading for a neighbourhood restaurant and has led to job losses among its staff. The business has said it hopes to relocate and reopen in the spring, and separately a person housed at the hotel has a forthcoming court sentencing scheduled next month, as reported.