Late March 04................Not again

We were having the plans drawn up for the cattery and had arranged meetings with Business Eye and Prime Cymru relative to a possible grant for the barn conversion.  I was feeling quite excited about our new projects.    I hadn't unpacked properly yet as I wanted to get our plans under way first, there would be plenty of time for that.

Eddie was coming back every second weekend, but the disturbances from our neighbours wasn't abating, and he could hear for himself the commotion. One particular weekend, upon returning home, the neighbours who were working around their stable area, waved us down.  We drove down onto their yard, and they took us into their portacabin which had been set up as an office, evident from the computer, desk, filing cabinets and much other office paraphernalia. This was clearly the office for their haulage and equine business with several lorries visible with KBHS livery plus others of a different description alongside them.  There were several horses in the stables, a converted agricultural building, and several more living out in their field across from us.

They introduced themselves as Karen and Andrew.  Karen came across as very friendly and confident. Karen told us that they ran a few lorries and that she used to drive one of their trucks when she first started her business  Andrew came across as quite an intimidating, angry and overpowering character with an obvious fiery temper.  Although it was a friendly exchange between us, it became obvious that the purpose of this introduction was to inform us of their thorough dislike of Ann Gifford and the former occupiers of our property.  The previous owner to Ms. Gifford had lived here for twenty six years.  Having said that they bred horses and that Andrews hobby was 'lorries', (were all these lorries Andrew's hobby I asked myself?)  the conversation quickly changed again to revolve around the dislike of both former owners of our property. There seemed to be a purpose in their need to make us aware of the problems they had had with them. Hardly a conversation on a first meeting with ones neighbours.   Ms. Gifford, (according to them) had been a 'complainer'.  'She had constantly complained about their lorries according to them, and the noise they were making'.  'She would drive in and out several times a day, and it aggravated Andrew' - to the point he began swearing when telling us about it. (She was a home visiting chiropodist).  I was shocked that these people would be that observant as to notice how many times their neighbour went out, and even more alarmed that it should make them so angry.  'What business was it of theirs how many times Anne Gifford went out' and how was it interfering with them'?  This was disconcerting! Andrew told us that he was furious with Ann Gifford on one particular  occasion when she asked him to please stop the noise as it was not only a Sunday but also 'Mother's Day'!. This apparently, really made him see red.  He described in very colourful language,  how he had told her in no uncertain terms to 'f......off, mind her own business, what he did on his own land was no business of hers, if she didn't like it to f....... move etc etc'.  (Oh God!)  Inwardly I was feeling very uncomfortable at listening to this and questioning in my mind just what had taken place here, and what was the real reason Ann Gifford had sold up so soon after having moved in?   It raced through my mind that she had sold up so quickly because of them, the neighbours! (Ann Gifford was here for eight months before putting this property back on the market)
I explained that Ann Gifford had told us that she had been forced to sell this cottage as she had broken up with her partner shortly after moving here and couldn't afford the upkeep on her own. They both laughed, and said that was not true, it was because she didn't like them and what they were doing!  According to them, she had moved here with her daughter. 

Latest view from my bedroom window - Andrews Hobbies?

They then got onto the subject of Mr. and Mrs. A who had lived here for twenty six years, who sold to Ann Gifford.   Apparently they complained as well.  They hated them as well.  There were many rows between the two couples as well.  It was pointed out to us by Karen Bowen that because of her hatred of them she had erected the 6ft. high fence around the cottage so as to not be able to see them or hear them!  By the time we left their office (portacabin) I was feeling exceedingly concerned at their attitude and intimidation of two families.  I felt this meeting was orchestrated to be a warning to us, to make us afraid of them.  I came away feeling just that - very wary of them. I believed they were sending us a very clear message, and we were left with the feeling that A.Thomas had the propensity to be an extremely nasty character who one would not want to cross!

Karen Bowen's high fence

One very early morning,  I looked out of the window as I heard a lot of whinnying, to discover horses running around on my land. Minnie was getting very upset at strange horses being in her space.  
The fencing where they had clearly entered through was completely flattened to the ground.  I rang my neighbour to ask if these were her horses.  She said they were and that she would come down straight away and collect them.  I asked her if they had escaped onto our property before. I was surprised when she simply answered nonchalantly, yes, with no apology for the lack of explanation at that time, nor any apology for the wrecked fencing. I remembered our conversation about the previous owners 'complaining' and the retaliation that followed, so felt it was best not to mention the damage to my fencing. 

Blaenpant Coloureds

We had to deal with the septic tank now as it was causing us major problems.  Karen had informed me that Ann Gifford knew the tank needed replacing as it was being emptied every month.  She had offered to write a letter saying as much, so that in the event of us having to pursue any legal actions over this matter, this might be helpful.

Having contacted Ann Gifford to explain the problems we were experiencing with the septic tank, I mentioned during this conversation how upset I was at the noise here, that a lorry business was operating from next door, and was not something I had been prepared for nor had she mentioned this to us.   Her only comment regarding this, was that 'they shouldn't be running lorries from there as the site was a SSSI site', which I later discovered to be a Site of Special Scientific Interest!

I had tried to put aside my worries and fears and get on with our plans for the cattery and barn conversion, when I had another visitor out of the blue.  This lady was a rep from  'The Country Landowners Association'. (CLA). She had called to ask if we would like to join her organisation as she had heard we had recently bought this holding.   I dithered a bit and said I would consider it.  She went on to say that it might be prudent if we did because of the problems the people next to us had been causing with previous owners!!.  It would seem that everyone and his dog knew of the troubles here except us!! What had we moved into???

I really didn't want to speak to the council, but obviously as they were aware of the problems that my neighbours had caused to others, and because they knew of the types of activities they were into, I felt they would be sympathetic and would help us with the situation we were facing.  I decided to take Mr. Davies's advice and sooner rather than later speak to Mr. Canning.......................