A SURREY businessman this week bought a Morecambe hotel which he intends to fill with asylum seekers, the Citizen can exclusively reveal.

Mr John Chafer, of Woking, says he also plans to spend another £300,000 buying other empty properties in the resort which he's happy to let to refugees.

He claims he is doing nothing illegal and says 'harassment' by the local authority has only spurred him on to bring more asylum seekers to Morecambe.

His company, Eurolet Listings Agency, currently owns four properties in the West End and he has 13 Kosovar tenants on his books.

This week he purchased the Marlborough Hotel and also moved a small number of Georgian asylum seekers to the resort. Speaking frankly about his plans, Mr Chafer said: "The rest of the country is multi-cultural so what's different about Morecambe? The Kosovars are the best tenants I've got. They're well looked after and get everything they need. We've had nothing but hassle off the council which has only made us more determined.

"I'll fill the properties with refugees, prisoners, probationers - I don't care what the council thinks. We're not breaking any laws and go through the Refugee Council. The refugees speak English, German, French... all sorts of languages. They don't need social workers. We treat them fair, They're happy living here."

Mr Chafer said he likes Morecambe and intends to move to the resort with his family to "escape the rat-race."

He added: "We're doing Morecambe a favour by fixing up run-down properties. We've tried renting to local kids but they wreck the places, start fires, the lot. The refugees behave themselves. We give them food before they get their money and help them with any problems. We're doing nothing wrong. We've got nothing to hide."

Councillor Geoff Knight was stunned by the news and said: "They are making money out of people's misery, I feel sorry for the refugees. There are ways and means of housing asylum seekers and I'm appalled that there's been no dialogue with the council, the health authority or social services.

"There's no local infrastructure in place to deal with them. I've brought the matter up with tourism minister, Janet Anderson, who shares my concerns."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.