Figures from Norfolk Constabulary reveal that officers were dispatched to the NR19 Hotel in Dereham 73 times this year alone - an average of more than one and a half calls a week.

The hotel, at the head of the town's Market Place, has been referred to as a “dumping ground” for ex-offenders by councillors and a “prison” by some of those living inside.

Locals have complained about antisocial behaviour in the Grade-II listed building’s vicinity for years.

The new figures - obtained via a Freedom of Information request - show that police calls-outs to NR19 have more than quadrupled since 2020.

The most frequent reason for a call-out last year was for “suspicious circumstances” - logged 20 times - compared with just five such incidents in 2021.

Overall, there were 73 calls between January to September this year, 59 in 2024, 47 in 2023, 35 in 2022, 19 in 2021 and 16 in 2020 - a total of 249.

Rob Jamieson, a Reform town councillor, said the data showed a “very worrying increase”.

NR19 in Dereham (Image: Newsquest)........

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