On Friday 18 August 2023 it was reported in the local media that the luxuries 4 Star hotel called Kilhey Court in Standish was to close with the lose of jobs to locals and that the hotel would be closing soon. The reason was to house economic migrants.
Local residents are up in arms about this for a number of reasons. One, there is already a loss of a hotel in the village for the same reason. This would be the last hotel that the community could use. Weddings and school proms were held there. All gone now!
This Labour controlled Council blame it on the Government and say there is nothing they can do. Wrong! Recently both Chorley and Bolton councils had hotels in their respected areas being used for the same reason, inc the well known Park Hall hotel. Both councils entered into discussion with the Government over the matter and both Chorley and Bolton got the Government to move the migrants. So why can this Labour controlled Wigan Council not do the same? Or do they secretly like the idea but just want to try and blame the Government? Maybe they want them here so they can blame the government so more people will vote for them.
But the residents of Standish have a right too. It is what is right and fair. On the economic migrants side of things there is no support network here for them, so using the hotel and area would be wrong for them.
Local residents are losing jobs because of it. How will they pay their rent or mortgages when economic migrants are being housed in a luxuries 4 star hotel down the road? Is that right and fair? Why are they not housed in this kind of facility? Why are tenants complaining of the state of some of the Council housing issues but they have to put up with it?
The gym will close, so that will put added pressure on other local gyms. People in the community like visiting Worhington Lakes but given what we know what has, and is happening at the Britannia Hotel, just 2.5 miles away, men will congregate there and this will put locals using the local amenities.
The hotel is used for school proms and weddings and these will stop. Where does Wigan Council expect locals to go now?
There have been a number of safety issues with these migrants men harassing high school females and this has been reported in the media and Greater Manchester Police. So by increasing the numbers of these people in the village heightens that risk. Why should locals put up with that risk? Is there any added police to protect our youngsters? No!
I got a call earlier informing me from one of my sources in the Labour camp saying Labour are going mad with the petition and how fast it is growing and they were trying to get it taken down on racists concerns, which it was not. Then a couple of hours later sure enough, as my source told me, the petition was taken down by the service provider. I have made contact with them and i will see if we can sort it out. But on the basis it may not we will not let this Labour controlled council stop you from having your say.
So what is plan B
So, if we are not going to be silenced then what will we do? Go old school! I am working on paper petition sheets and we will collect them in the centre of Standish, we will go door to door and we will ask residents that want to help to get neighbours signatures on the sheets as well. Whether that is on their street or estate. So if you want to help email garethfairhurst@gmail.com and in the title put help the petition.
It is worth telling you that none of the local Cllrs had signed the petition when I checked before it went down, nor the Labour leader of this Council. If they were opposed like they try and make us believe why not stand with us? Why not sign the petition? Why try and stop the Standish residents having their say?
Here is a YouTube video with an update too.
So please keep visiting this blog and I will keep it updated.
