Stradey Park asylum seeker uncertainty fuels fear in Furnace

A mist of uncertainty has fallen over a small village in Carmarthenshire, with locals unclear what the future holds as they await the arrival of 240 asylum seekers.

Some have fitted extra security to their homes, with the lack of information fuelling fears on the streets in Furnace.

All most people know is that the four-star Stradey Park Hotel closed last month with the loss of 100 jobs, following a deal with the Home Office.

Many feel helpless and in the dark, but others say they are determined to make their point.

Theresa, 58, is among those who have set up a camp outside the hotel to try to put a stop to the plans, and said she would stay in place "for the long run, as long as it takes".

"It's the nicest hotel in Carmarthenshire. Everyone comes here. Rugby teams stay here, people going to Ffos Las Racecourse. I did before I lived here," she said.

"It's a tourist hotel, it's beautiful."

The camp set up outside the hotel's gates has about 20 people who swap shifts around the clock. The flurry of beeping horns from passing motorists suggests their cause is backed by many in the wider community.

Last week, hotel owner Gryphon Leisure won a High Court injunction to limit the activities of protestors, and in a letter seen by the BBC they threatened to appoint enforcement agents to stop blocking of the entrance.

The company has refused to address the change of use for Stradey Park, but the Home Office said asylum seekers were costing the taxpayer too much and the plans were necessary because the system was under "incredible" strain.

In the face of this, those against the plans remain resolute.

Theresa said she arrives at the camp every morning around 9am, and will stay until 11:30 before returning at 4pm for another three hours.

"I do the early [shift]. These (other protesters) stay awake all night."

Those gathered have been angered by media reports linking them to far-right groups. They say they are just concerned locals, and there is no political agenda behind their stance.

This becomes clear when they start nostalgically reminiscing about what has been lost - the Sunday lunches, so popular it was hard to book a table, afternoon teas, a James Bond night, international rugby sides staying, as well as golf groups.

Also, the sadness at seeing French and Dutch visitors turn up with their suitcases recently, having not realised it's closed.

It's not just a hotel, but a focal point of the community, from where everyone has memories.

That's the simple reason there are about 20 people who, like Theresa, are "here for the long run".

They talk to PCSOs and hand out bread rolls that a resident has delivered, with Theresa adding: "The donations are amazing, food, water, loads of Welsh cakes.

"The ladies do a lot of baking. There was pavlova the other day, I missed that one. Also, curry and rice."

There are many questions - when will the asylum seekers finally arrive? Where will they be from? How will they integrate?

Down the road at Furnace RFC, head barman Geraint Phillips, 58, said he is simply concerned about a move that will add significantly to the local population.

"We've been in the dark since day one. It's just not knowing who and what are coming here," he said.

"There's no more than 400 people here, and one corner shop."

It is also fuelling rumours and in some cases fear. Susan Davies, 64, has had a bell fitted to her front door for extra security.

She was a bridesmaid at the hotel, and believe it is "such a shame it's being used this way".

Looking at work being carried out to ready the hotel for the arrivals, she said: "A lot of people are struggling in this area, it's a really poor area. A lot more could be done to help local people [with the money] instead."

Rachel Peregrine, 33, said while pushing her children on the swings in Parc Howard: "I don't really know what to think.

"If it was all men, I wouldn't be too happy. But we have no information."

Allan Edwards, 72, and John Bennett, 74, said it's all everyone has been talking about.

"He [the owner] is from London, he doesn't give a monkey's about Llanelli," said John.

"It's a rural community, a way of life, and he's cashing in."

Allan questioned whether the Conservative UK government were intentionally placing the asylum seekers in a Labour-voting area for political reasons, and whether the situation could have been avoided if people around the UK had been asked to take them in, like with Ukrainian refugees.

He also wondered if there will be tensions among asylum seekers who have to share rooms, saying: "In my school, there were 240 boys, there was fighting, some were tidy, some were not.

"Here, you are going to have four blokes in one room, one toilet, different religions, backgrounds."

He added: "It's all about money for the owner."

Many of the issues stem from a lack of explanation and understanding of the dire situations many of the people will be coming from, believes Tattiana Alfaia, 46.

"I see posters that say 'Wales belongs to the Welsh'. I am from Portugal, how many British people are there?" she said.

"It's the same in Spain. It just makes them look silly, it's not a good message."

Simon Elliot, 43, said he understands the concerns about people being housed in such close proximity to the community.

But he said he wondered if there could be more empathy, adding: "You hear so many stories [about asylum seekers], good and bad. But bad things happen with people who live here too."

Residents could have been forgiven for thinking the days of Stradey Park making the headlines ended when the famous old rugby ground was bulldozed in 2010.

It was less than a mile from the hotel, and where Llanelli beat the 1972 All Blacks.

Max Boyce wrote a song about pubs running dry on that famous day - the Felinfoel Brewery is just up the road, and there are many watering holes scattered around Furnace.

One is called the Stradey Arms and licensee Wayne Stephens lamented the loss of custom from golf groups staying at the hotel, as well as raising concerns about a change to his clientele.

"Are they [the asylum seekers] going to wander out or stay at the hotel?," he said.

"If they are all in the pub, will it put people off? Most probably, yes. We are stuck in the middle, people will be put off coming to drink with us."

However, he said the issue had brought with it some positivity in bringing everyone together.

"These days, people don't go out to socialise together, people are on their phones or tablets," he said.

"One positive, people are all out there together, all religions, ages, backgrounds."

But while he said the protestors have been peaceful and respectful, he warned there could be a flashpoint if the hotel owner tries to remove "people or infrastructure" from outside.