Local ‘relief’ as Bibby Stockholm barge pulls away from seaside town

The barge pulled retired of Portland connected January 31 (Image: Getty)

The past asylum seekers surviving connected the barge, moored disconnected Portland successful Dorset, disembarked successful December and the arguable vas has present been moved retired of UK waters.

Hundreds were moved from the vessel to alternate accommodation successful Cardiff, Wolverhampton and Bristol, according to the BBC, and the barge itself departed from Portland Harbour connected January 31 aft the authorities chose not to renew a Home Office contract.

The Bibby Stockholm was susceptible of lodging up to 500 radical and was billed arsenic a cost-effective solution to the migrant lodging occupation by the Tory government aft its committee successful April 2023.

However, it faced galore challenges, including campaigns from Portland residents and the find of unsafe bacteria onboard, which led to a implicit evacuation successful the summertime of 2023, conscionable days aft the accomplishment of the archetypal fewer asylum seekers.

It besides came nether scrutiny erstwhile Albanian asylum seeker Leonard Farruku died onboard.

Photos amusement the barge pulling retired of the seaside municipality harbour wherever it stoked 'division' (Image: Getty)

Dorset locals person responded with alleviation to the boat’s departure, with Dorset Council person Nick Ireland saying: “I don’t deliberation anybody successful the Weymouth and Portland country wanted it here.”

While immoderate residents took the inaugural to supply activities and resources for the barge residents, the assembly person told the BBC its docking had exposed “divisions” successful the assemblage and “attracted immoderate undesirables to the area”.

Portland-based lensman Geoff Moore besides told the broadcaster: “People are truly pleased that it’s really gone.

"It’s been a antagonistic for Portland and the country astir here.”

Dorser nonmigratory Sally Lesley told the BBC past year that the authorities shouldn't person struck the statement with Bibby Stockholm successful the archetypal place.

"It's not that we are peculiarly against immigrants successful Portland," she said. "It's conscionable the incorrect situation and the incorrect spot and it doesn't bash them immoderate favours."

Local protests against the docked accommodation installation warned that the town's resources couldn't agelong to screen hundreds of caller radical and immoderate besides cautioned that surviving conditions connected the vessel mightiness beryllium dangerous.

BBC newsman Sophie Cridland said she had sensed “relief” from residents arsenic the vas drew away.

Many radical were “glad to spot the backmost of the barge and the occupation it’s caused," she added.

After taking office, Labour said the continued usage of the Bibby Stockholm would person outgo an excess of £20million successful 2025 and said its scrapping would lend towards an anticipated £7.7billion of savings successful asylum costs implicit the adjacent decade.