Yahoo News 'There'll be people sleeping rough tonight' - Guests react as Burslem's George Hotel shuts suddenly
Fears have been raised that guests who had been staying at a Stoke-on-Trent hotel will be forced to sleep rough tonight following its sudden closure. The George Hotel shut with 'immediate effect' today (June 6).
StokeonTrentLive readers say they received a knock on their room doors at 9am to say they had to pack their bags and leave. It is also understood that the staff no longer have jobs.
Homeless Trevor Simpson had been staying at The George for a week after the council found him temporary accommodation. Many of those staying there were in similar situations.
The 39-year-old believes he is one of the lucky few who has managed to secure a room at the nearby Sneyd Arms in Tunstall.
READ: Hotel shuts with 'immediate effect' as staff and guests ordered to leave The George Hotel in Burslem has been boarded up
Trevor, from Bucknall, said: "I got a knock on the door at 9am this morning telling me that I was being evicted. I asked them if I'd done anything wrong but they said everyone was being made to leave. They went along the corridor knocking on all the doors.
"I've been told that 206 people were evicted but I don't know if that's right. When I went to leave there were bailiffs stacking up all the TVs and electricals.
"I immediately went to the Citizen's Advice and called the council and I've got a room at the Sneyd Arms. The council sorted me out but there won't be space for everyone.
"When I went past The George again at 3pm, they were changing all the locks and putting notices up on the door. There were lots of homeless people with their bags and rucksacks down the side of the hotel. They hadn't found anywhere else to stay.
"I reckon there will be at least 20 people sleeping rough because of what's happened. Without a doubt."
Trevor had found himself homeless after being slapped with a no-fault eviction. Initially he had been told he would not be put up in a taxpayer-funded hotel until StokeonTrentLive highlighted his plight.
However, he has had to be parted from his beloved assistance dog Lucy who is staying with a friend. Trevor cannot access the private rental market because he does not have a guarantor.
The George hotel was previously put up for auction with a guide price of £1.4 million in 2022. It has 42 en-suite bedrooms, a 65-cover restaurant, a 120-seat lounge bar, three function rooms and a flat with four bedrooms. There is also parking for 20 vehicles.
StokeonTrentLive has contacted Stoke-on-Trent City Council for a statement.
