Overview
- Residents interviewed by national outlets blame the Banbury House Hotel’s 2022 conversion to asylum accommodation for perceived disorder and fewer tourist shoppers.
- Official 2025 data show Banbury’s crime rate at 78 per 1,000 people, about 45% higher than the Oxfordshire rate of 54, with violence and sexual offences most commonly recorded.
- Thames Valley Police state they are not seeking suspects in the churchyard case after finding no evidence the offence occurred as reported, following earlier clarification that an alleged suspect was white and unconnected to the hotel.
- Tourism figures from UK Inbound report Oxfordshire revenue up 4% to £2.4 billion supporting 41,000 jobs, with fewer visitors spending more and major sites such as Bicester Village and Castle Quay drawing a large share.
- Local testimony highlights anxiety over safety and public drinking, yet the available data do not establish a direct causal link between the hotel and changes in crime or tourism.