Leicestershire hotel cancels couple's wedding to 'house asylum seekers'

ITV News Central Correspondent Rajiv Popat speaks to a couple who've had their wedding cancelled by the Quorn Country Hotel, after it was 'acquisitioned for a Government contract'

A couple in Leicestershire have been left heartbroken after their hotel wedding venue cancelled their big day, because it was 'acquisitioned for a Government contract'.

Steph Grant and her fiancee Tom Moulding believe their wedding was cancelled as the Quorn Country Hotel will be closed and instead be used to house asylum seekers.

The pair had been planning their wedding for two years and it was due to take place at the hotel in July.

They received a phone call and email from the hotel last week to say their big day had to be cancelled.

The couple claim there are 17 other couples who've had their weddings cancelled, with with just four weeks notice.

The hotel has been contacted for comment but ITV News Central has not yet received a response.

The Home Office told ITV News Central that it wouldn't comment on 'operational arrangements for individual sites', but it did say that the use of hotels to house asylum seekers is currently costing UK taxpayers £5.6million per day.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: "The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and put our asylum system under incredible strain.

"The use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable.

"There are currently more than 45,500 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £5.6million per day.

"We engage with local authorities as early as possible whenever sites are used for asylum accommodation and work to ensure arrangements are safe for hotel residents and local people."