A Leeds man has turned down a £100,000 Windrush compensation offer from the Home Office, claiming that itcomes nowhere near to taking into account the difficulties he has suffered due to mistakes made around his citizenship.
He has been offered £100,000 pounds as compensation for "maximum for the impact on life', but denied any compensation for financial loss - despite the fact that Home Office errors led to him being denied a mortgage to buy his council house in 2005.
Lorenzo Hoyte, 64, permanently relocated from Barbados to Leeds in 1957 as part of the Windrush Generation - but was not granted a UK passport by the Home Office until September 2018.
He has now said that he feels that the error has left him "living as a third-class citizen [in Leeds] for 40 years."
Due to an inability to prove his citizenship, Mr. Hoyte has been prevented from attending two family funerals abroad, one of which was his mother's.
"When I tried to travel to see my mum for her funeral I was told if you leave the country you cannot get back in," Lorenzo said.
Lorenzo Hoyte moved from Barbados to Leeds when was just ten years old
"I would like to ask any politician in this country - would you accept £100,000 for living as a third-class citizen for 40 years?
"Would you accept £100,000 not to go to your family's funeral - your mother's your brother's your grandparents'?"
Not having a passport has also meant that Mr. Hoyte has repeatedly been told he is not classed as a British citizen and denied some basic rights.
He's struggled to travel abroad at all and missed out on an opportunity to see his Olympic star sister Joslyn Hoyte-Smith compete for Britain in the women’s 4x400m relay at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
But his real gripe - and reason for turning down the £100,000 offer - is that In 2005, he was refused a mortgage to purchase the Wakefield District Housing-owned house he lives in under the right to buy scheme, simply because he didn't have a British passport.
According to Mr. Hoyte, his house is now worth up to £160,000 - but he claims he has already paid "more in rent than what they have offered me."
"They have offered me the maximum for the impact on life, bit nothing for financial loss.
"The main thing for me is my home. They took away my right to buy a house and have something for my family.
"I've been paying rent on this house since 2000. I tried to buy it in 2005 and the only reason I couldn't buy it was because I didn't have a passport to prove my citizenship."
Despite the error leading to him being refused a mortgage, his claim for 'financial loss' has still been refused by the Home Office.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said: “The Home Secretary has overhauled the Windrush Compensation Scheme, increasing the amount of compensation paid from £3m to almost £27m, with a further £7.1m offered to victims.
“If someone is unhappy with the award they have been offered they are able to ask for a review by a different decision maker and subsequently by the Adjudicator’s Office who are independent of the Home Office.”
News
A huge football fan zone with space for up to 1,000 fans has opened in Leeds
Trinity Leeds is transforming Trinity Kitchen into the ultimate space to watch all the World Cup 2026 action together.
Looking for somewhere to cheer on England in the 2026 World Cup? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered.
Foodie hotspot Trinity Kitchen has been completely transformed into the ultimate fan zone with space for up to 1,000 cheering fans.
And they’ve made sure that nobody misses out on the action.
There are three super-sized 5x3m screens dotted around the space, so wherever you go you won’t miss out on a goal.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
There’s also a brand-new bar courtesy of local favourites Northern Monk named the ‘Northern Monk Trinity Tap’.
The tap will feature two, seven-metre bars with a whopping 20 beer taps to keep you refreshed and hydrated during the tournament, because cheering the lads on really can be thirsty work.
If you don’t fancy a beer there’s also cocktails, wine and soft drinks on offer as well - so nobody has to miss out.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Feeling peckish? Of course there’s 11 street food vendors serving match day meals and snacks to keep you fuelled through the games.
Choose from Caribbean jerk chicken from Jerk Junction, Indian street food from Rolawala and loads more.
Entry is completely free but if you’re after a reserved seat on a table, tickets cost just £10.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Josie Towning, Food and Beverage Manager at Trinity Leeds, said: “Trinity Kitchen will operate as normal during the day, transforming into a football fan zone in the evening.
“It will be one of the biggest World Cup venues in Leeds with three huge screens showing the games live and more dotted around Trinity Kitchen. There will be live roaming brass bands and DJs turning every England fixture into a true celebration.
“Fans can turn up and grab a space for free and we will also be offering table bookings for England games for those who want to guarantee the best spots to watch the drama unfold.
“Our line-up of street food vendors will serve bold flavours from around the world, while the all-new Northern Monk Trinity Tap will pour award-winning craft beers across 20 taps, making Trinity Kitchen the ultimate place to eat, drink and experience every unforgettable World Cup moment."
It’s all kicking off on Wednesday 17 June for England v Croatia. So rally your mates together, get your England shirts on and grab your tickets here.
Featured image - The Hoot Leeds
News
Dishoom announces official opening date for new Leeds restaurant
Clementine Hall
It's the moment we've all been waiting for, Dishoom is coming to Leeds.
The whispers of Dishoom's arrival in Leeds city centre have been going on for a while now, but over the past few weeks it has started to feel very real.
Taking over the beautiful old Flannel's site on the coveted Vicar Lane, signs started to pop up for Dishoom and work was cracking on fast.
Well now, we have an opening date - and we don't have long to wait.
Dishoom Leeds will open on Monday 3 August, with guests being able to enjoy 50% off food during an initial soft-opening period, ahead of the official opening on Friday 14 August.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
As with every Dishoom café, the Leeds restaurant begins with a story. This one takes inspiration from the extraordinary true events surrounding the explosion of the SS Fort Stikine in Bombay Dock in April 1944, a wartime disaster that sent gold bars flying across the city.
Legend has it that some of the missing gold was never recovered. Some was discovered embedded in walls and rooftops across Bombay. Other pieces quietly disappeared into the hands of lucky citizens, melted into bangles or hidden away in drawers.
Dishoom Leeds reimagines the fortune made from the gold bars and guests will discover subtle references to the glamorous mid-century details through the interiors and artwork, giving playful nods to Bombay’s golden age.
With all day dining available, guests can dine on the beloved breakfast right through to late evening feasting, with the café will serve a lovingly curated menu of Bombay comfort food inspired by the city’s cafés, grills, street stalls and family kitchens.
Shamil Thakrar, co-founder, also known as Head Babu, at Dishoom, said: “Leeds is a city with tremendous warmth, creativity and character, full of people who know the value of gathering together over good food and drinks. Bringing Dishoom here has long been a dream for us.”
"The story behind this café is rooted in one of Bombay’s most extraordinary moments – the day gold bars fell from the sky after the explosion of Fort Stikine in 1944. Amidst the tragedy and chaos, there were also tales of unexpected fortune, human resilience and hopeful reinvention. We were captivated by this, and we cannot wait to welcome Leeds into the café that pays homage to the heritage of Bombay.”
Georgina Pellant -
3rd August 2021 
