A well-known Sandbach hotel is no longer being used to house asylum seekers.

The Chimney House Hotel, Congleton Road, is one of 13 hotels across England being "handed back to their communities," as confirmed by the Home Office on Tuesday 11 August.

The Tudor-style hotel, close to Junction 17 of the M6, has 51 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar.

It has traditionally provided accommodation for visitors travelling through Sandbach and the wider Cheshire area.

The hotel had been used as contingency asylum accommodation by the Home Office, dating back to at least 2020.

Sandbach's Chimney House is now among a growing number of hotels being removed from the asylum accommodation system.

The Home Office said the latest 13 closures are expected to save taxpayers £51m, bringing the expected savings from this year's hotel closures to £224m.

At the peak of the scheme in 2023, around 400 hotels were being used at a reported cost of £9m a day.

Fewer than 160 asylum hotels are now in use, the government said, with more expected to close.

It is instead increasing its use of larger, basic accommodation, including former military sites.

Sarah Russell MP told Nub News: "The closure of the Chimney House is an important milestone, in line with Labour's 2024 manifesto commitment to ending the use of hotels for asylum seekers, and processing asylum claims more quickly.

"Reducing hotel use has been possible partly because small boat crossings are down by 43 per cent, whilst the number of successful crossings is down by 49 per cent.

"This is a result of extensive government action to disrupt the vile people-smuggling trade, as well as improved law enforcement collaboration internationally. Labour has also successfully reduced delays in initial decision-making on asylum applications."

"I would like to thank Refugees Welcome Cheshire East and our local churches for the support they provided to Chimney House residents, and their wider work within our community."

"I know the use of hotels and the backlog in asylum cases concern many residents. Effective immigration management depends on a system that can process claims promptly and fairly, and I will continue to raise that with ministers."

The Chimney House can now potentially return to its former role as a hotel or be used for another purpose. Its future has not yet been confirmed.