Migrant crisis: First pictures inside barge to house asylum seekers for £20k a day - complete with gym and games room

Bibby Stockholm exterior with images inset of interior

The Bibby Stockholm will be based in Portland Port, Dorset

PA
Dan Falvey

By Dan Falvey


Published: 06/04/2023

- 08:38

Updated: 06/04/2023

- 13:52

All those staying in the barge will have their own ensuite room, access to TVs, and free wifi throughout.

A massive barge set to house migrants who have illegally entered the UK is complete with a gym, games room, and even a bar.

The first pictures of inside the Bibby Stockholm have emerged after the Home Office confirmed yesterday that the floating structure would be used to hold 500 migrants.


All those staying in the barge will have their own ensuite room, access to TVs, and free wifi throughout.

The Bibby Stockholm will be used for at least 18 months and will be based in Portland Port, Dorset.

Pool room inside the Bibby Stockholm

The Bibby Stockholm has a pool room for those on board

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Estimates have put the overall price tag of the charter and the berthing of the barge at more than £20,000 a day.

But officials say it will massively reduce the cost of £6million a day spent on housing migrants in hotels.

Announcing the plans yesterday, Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said: “We will not elevate the interests of illegal migrants over the British people we are elected to serve.

“We have to use alternative accommodation options, as our European neighbours are doing – including the use of barges and ferries – to save the British taxpayer money and to prevent the UK becoming a magnet for asylum shoppers in Europe.

Gym inside the Bibby Stockholm

There is also a gym on board the barge

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Bibby Stockholm dining room

The Bibby Stockholm will house 500 migrants

PA

"All accommodation will meet our legal obligations and we will work closely with the local community to address their concerns, including through financial support.”

The Bibby Stockholm is currently in Italy and will move to the UK in the "coming months".

As well as the barge, ministers are also looking at using cruise ships and old RAF bases to house asylum seekers.

But the plans have been criticised by campaigners who have accused the Government of "cruelty".

Bedroom on the Bibby Stockholm

All migrants will be housed in an ensuite room

PA

Amnesty International said: "All talk of barges, cruise ships and former military barracks should be abandoned.

"Anyone seeking asylum in this country should be housed in decent accommodation with proper facilities and, crucially, their claims should be properly and consistently processed.

"Instead of more ministerial cruelty, we need sweeping asylum reforms."

Around 51,000 asylum seekers are currently in temporary accommodation such as hotels as the Government tackles a backlog of claims.

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