David and Karen face eviction from Earls Farm in Bolton, their home for 300 years, due to a confidential agreement with the council.
Bolton Council stated they made a deal, though it’s a confidential agreement. Their land is 12.5 acres, and David’s family has farmed it for 300 years. The council plans housing projects there now.
David and Karen run businesses on the farm. They have a cattery for 84 cats and make barley straw to fight green algae. Karen also has a beauty business. They want to stay in their home and continue their businesses there.
They currently house cats for older, hospitalized people. Karen is 56, and David is 67. The legal battle with Bolton Council deeply hurts them and affects their mental health.
Karen stated that they have nowhere else to go. She wants to run her viable businesses, but the situation has negatively affected their mental state for so long.
Councilor Les Webb tried to help them and wanted to meet with the council chief. However, the chief executive refused this meeting, stating that talks about Earls Farm have been long.
Webb wants a fair resolution for the situation and to keep them in their house; he knows the chief executive has a tough job and sees the mental health impact. He asked her to reconsider their case, keep them in the farmhouse, and prevent them from becoming homeless, saying there is no desire for this.
A Bolton Council spokesperson gave a statement, saying they reached an agreement with the couple through mediation. They cannot reveal the agreement terms, however.