Eastfield Guesthouse in England has recently found itself in the public eye after being called out for its role in the temporary accommodation crisis facing people experiencing homelessness. From 2021-2024, the food establishment was able to obtain £4.5 million in public funding from local authorities to provide support to vulnerable communities. Close to Peterborough, the city council there committed more than £2.5m to pay for accommodation at the centre over this period. Local councils continue to rely on Eastfield Guesthouse for emergency accommodation. Alarming accusations regarding the practice of dangerous, unsanitary and inhumane conditions at the property have surfaced.
Ricky Lee, a handyman at Eastfield Guesthouse, was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting women at the homeless shelter over a seven-month period. In January, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the horrific things he did. The judge overseeing the case expressed disbelief that management entrusted Lee with such responsibilities, stating it was “inconceivable management gave you the responsibility they did.” This disturbing incident has brought to light serious concerns over the lack of protective measures to keep residents safe.
On June 20, 2022, the south Cambridgeshire District council was notified of the specific allegations against Lee. Yet they continue to use Eastfield Guesthouse as a place to house people, while insisting they’ve carried out “robust checks.” While walking is still dominated by the old guard, many are frustrated about its direction and the state of life on the streets.
Rebecca Adebayo was the first to move into Eastfield Guesthouse, in January. She soon found out that her space was not ready when she arrived. She described an exposed wall around a recently fitted window and expressed frustration with the overall state of her living space.
“The room has started cracking. They just rushed to build it,” – Rebecca Adebayo.
Residents like Adebayo are further burdened by their inability to access even the most basic amenities. Eastfield Guesthouse doesn’t have clothes washing facilities. Consequently, guests are forced to spend an average of £25 per week at local launderettes. Over a dozen other families are housed in an annex to the guesthouse. Yet, they are made to cram into one kitchen at a time—overcrowding violates health and safety codes, creating dangerous and unsanitary conditions.
The broader housing crisis across the UK has seen temporary accommodations like Eastfield Guesthouse profit from public funding while struggling to meet essential living standards. Yet it’s one of hundreds of small and large firms enjoying windfalls from taxpayer handouts at a time when our nation is experiencing a housing crisis.
Paul Kitson, the council’s representative on the local health authority, implicated deeper systemic causes for the winter crisis.
“An overheating property market, persistent low levels of housing supply and insufficient levels of government funding across many years have led us to this point. We simply do not have enough suitable accommodation to house everybody within the borough.” – Paul Kitson.
In addition to purchasing the Eastfield Guesthouse, Peterborough City Council invested in renovations at the property. In the meantime, Newham Council has already paid more than £2.4 million to a company called HungerBurger, but its connections to Eastfield remain murky. This makes it all the more difficult to create a positive narrative around temporary housing and public spending in the area.
While investigations into what transpired at Eastfield Guesthouse go on, issues surrounding safety and management practices are still at the forefront. Protecting local housing regulation Local authorities are interested in enforcing legitimate housing regulations just as much as anyone else. They encourage residents to report any violations they see.
“We carry out inspections on properties that we put people into, and take any breaches of housing regulations very seriously. We’d urge anyone with concerns to contact us,” – [source not specified].
West Yorkshire’s Eastfield Guesthouse underlines the struggle local authorities are up against. They are reeling from an unrelenting external housing storm. Squalid housing and violent crime conspire to paint a terrifying portrait for the region’s most vulnerable residents. These people rely on safe, supportive homes for their health, underlining the moral imperative to act now.