Food delivery couriers from Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats have been barred from entering a luxury apartment complex in east London, after management cited media reports alleging “undocumented” workers.
The management company, Parkgate Aspen, linked the ban to unrest near the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf, where protests and counter-protests have erupted over claims that asylum seekers are being housed there.
In a security notice sent to hundreds of residents at the Canary Riverside complex, the company said heightened measures were necessary following “appropriation of the nearby Britannia hotel for migrant housing and the resultant unrest.” The notice referenced press reports claiming some riders were undocumented, adding that they could no longer “roam around for delivery to individual flats.”
The ban applies specifically to riders from major food delivery platforms, while grocery services such as Ocado and Tesco remain permitted at residents’ discretion.
Residents Divided Over New Policy
Parkgate Aspen stated that feedback had been “overwhelmingly positive,” but some residents described the decision as an “arbitrary ban” that unfairly targeted delivery workers. One resident warned the move reflected the “pernicious knock-on effects of anti-asylum seeker hysteria.”
A company spokesperson said the policy had been in development since January due to complaints about antisocial behaviour, including riders relieving themselves in stairwells and verbally abusing residents. The protests near the hotel had prompted a fast-tracked rollout of upgraded security systems.
Delivery Companies Deny Employing Undocumented Workers
Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats all rejected the suggestion they employ undocumented couriers.
• Deliveroo said it has a “zero-tolerance approach” to illegal working and terminates contracts if violations are found.
• Just Eat said the “vast majority” of couriers are legally registered independent contractors.
• Uber Eats stated it uses “state-of-the-art identity and video verification technology” to prevent illegal work.
Far-Right Influence on Protests
Fresh demonstrations were expected outside the Britannia International Hotel on Friday night, with far-right activists heavily promoting the events online. Police have made multiple arrests in recent days and issued 28-day bans to agitators accused of harassment.
Police dismissed claims that asylum seekers housed in the hotel were working as delivery drivers, stating that moped riders seen leaving were hotel staff. A police escort was provided to a delivery driver only because they were delivering to the address.
